Franklin County roughs up All-stars: Warren County ousted from tournament

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Warren County catcher Dexter Hillis comes out of his stance to field a pitch-out from Justin Armes against Franklin County Saturday. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

The Warren County 13-year-old Babe Ruth all-stars fell in their second game of the Substate tournament Saturday, losing to Franklin County 11-5 to be eliminated from the tournament.

Both teams scored in the first, with Franklin County sending one runner across the plate after an error, a walk and wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead.

Warren County scored when J. R. Drake led of with a base hit to left field. A walk moved Drake to second, and he stole third then home to tie the game 1-1.

Franklin County scored one in the second to take the lead, but Warren County answered in its half of the second. Matt Shields reached on an error, and a walk then a double from Evan Moran scored two runs to put Warren County up 3-2.

In the third Franklin County scored two runs off two hits to go up 4-3. Warren County went quietly in the third, then Franklin County added two more runs in the fourth to extend its lead to 6-3.

Dexter Hillis led off the fourth inning with a single for Warren County. Drake scored after he walked and then two errors in the inning pulled the local all-stars within two.

Franklin County broke the game open in the sixth, however, scoring three runs off three hits, a walk and two errors to make it a 9-4 game.

Warren County put one runner across the plate in the sixth off of a walk, hit and a sacrifice fly, but that would be all they could manage as Franklin County added two more runs in the seventh.

A leadoff walk put Nigel Hopkins on for Warren County to start the bottom of the final inning, but the next three batters went down swinging.

Warren County picked up two hits by Drake, while Morgan and Hillis added one hit each.