Diamond Dawgs upend Chiefs, go 8-0 in district play

A combined 24 runs on 18 hits and 11 walks during a Thursday, April 7 double-header against Tylertown helped Franklin County’s varsity baseball team remain unblemished in 7-3A regional play.

The Bulldogs cruised to a pair of convincing 12-2 wins over the visiting Chiefs with only a pair of contests against Wesson remaining in the regular season for FC.

GAME 1

FC 12, TYLERTOWN 2

Four Bulldogs accounted for multiple hits in the first half of Friday’s twin bill — with Donavon Moore and Noah McCormick each going 2-for-3 while Terrance Fields and Larry Pernell both went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Moore plated two runs and drew a walk, and McCormick scored three runs, had two RBIs, walked once and struck out one time against the Chiefs.

Fields crossed home plate once and accounted for two RBIs.

Pernell stroked a triple, scored a run and was credited with a team-high four RBIs in the game.

Jamari Tolliver had a 1-for-2 outing with a run scored and a walk, and also went the six-innings distance on the mound for FC with nine strikeouts.

He also walked two and surrendered three runs — one of those earned — on two hits given up to the Chiefs.

His pitch-to-strike throwing ratio in the game was 63 percent.

Tylertown scored its two runs in the top of the first inning, but Franklin responded with five in the bottom half of the frame.

Ridge Clanton drew a one-out walk and Dalton Meadows was hit by a pitch to put FC’s initial runners on the bags.

The duo advanced to scoring position on a Tylertown error and would come home on a single ground ball to left by McCormick.

With the score tied at 2-all, Quez Rancifer reached on an error and then both he and McCormick would score on a triple to right by Pernell.

With Pernell at third, Dakota Chisholm (with JaMarlin Green coming in as his courtesy runner) and Tolliver drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Another walk, issued to Moore, pushed Pernell across home plate for the Dawgs’ fifth run in the contest.

Clanton flied out to left to end the frame with three base runners left stranded.

In the bottom of the second, Meadows reached on an error, but would be caught by the Tylertown defense attempting to make his way to third base.

McCormick got a hit and came home on a single to right by Fields to give Franklin County a 6-2 advantage.

The bottom of the third saw Tolliver stroke a single to left and Moore pounded a single to center for runners on the corners.

Clanton came to the plate and grounded out in a fielder’s choice that allowed Tolliver to score and pushed Moore to third.

Moore would account for his team’s eighth run on a Tylertown passed ball before the side was retired.

The latter half of the fifth was led off by Chisholm, who wound up being hit by a pitch.

His courtesy runner, Green, advanced to second on a Chiefs’ error, but wound up being called out when Moore singled toward third.

Moore stole second and scored FC’s ninth run thanks to a hard ground ball by Clanton that was mishandled by Tylertown.

In the bottom of the sixth, McCormick and Rancifer advanced on back-to-back walks before Fields singled to right.

The hot shot brought McCormick home and pushed Rancifer to third base.

Another single to center, this time by Pernell, green-lighted Rancifer and Fields to plate their team’s 11th and 12th runs.

Clanton, while 0-for-3 on the night, had a run, a walk and an RBI.

Meadows, who was 0-for-2, scored a run, drew a walk and struck out once.

Despite an 0-for-3 outing, Rancifer scored twice, walked once and struck out once.

Chisholm was 0-for-1 with a walk.

Moore and Meadows led the way for FC with two steals apiece while Clanton, Fields, Green, McCormick and Tolliver had one each.

Seven errors were committed in the game with five of those attributed to Tylertown.

GAME 2

FC 12, TYLERTOWN 2

The Diamond Dawgs didn’t miss a beat offensively and defensively in the nightcap against Tylertown with 12 runs on nine hits and six walks.

FC scored one run in the second, two in the third, eight in the fourth and one in the fifth while the Chiefs were limited to a run in the third and another in the fifth.

As was the case in the first game, four FC players combined for multiple hits with Fields leading the way with a 3-for-4 effort that included another triple, one run scored, one RBI and one strikeout.

Pernell went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, two RBIs, a walk and a strikeout.

Meadows was also 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs plated, a walk and an RBI.

Going 2-for-4, Moore had a pair of triples, scored one run and had a team-high three RBIs.

In the top of the second, Franklin County got lead-off singles from Fields and Pernell with Fields scoring on a Tylertown passed ball for a 1-0 lead.

To start the third inning, Meadows sent a one-out solo shot over the left field wall for a 2-0 Bulldogs’ advantage.

Facing two outs, Rancifer walked and made his way to second on a wild pitch.

Fields blasted a timely triple to center that pushed Rancifer in for the team’s third run of the game.

Leading 3-1 to begin the fourth, FC made the most of its chances at the plate.

Tolliver led off by reaching on an error and made his way to third. Moore then came on to blast a triple to left to score Tolliver.

Moore would cross home plate on a passed ball for a 5-1 lead before Meadows and McCormick reached on walks and Ranicfer was hit by a pitch to load the bags.

Meadows came in for a sixth run thanks to another Tylertown wild pitch.

Facing two outs, Pernell doubled on a fly ball to center to bring in both McCormick and Rancifer for an 8-1 advantage.

From there, Chisholm reached on an error and Tolliver was hit by another Chiefs’ pitch

Moore had more heroics with a timely triple to center to score both Green (Chisholm’s courtesy runner) and Tolliver before the side was retired.

Meadows reached on a Tylertown error to start the fifth and scored on sacrifice shot by McCormick to put the Bulldogs on top 12-1.

The Chiefs scored a cosmetic run in the bottom of the fifth to set FC’s final margin of victory at 12-2 in the second game of the double-header.

Other Bulldogs contributing to the victory were Clanton (0-for-3) with a walk and a strikeout; McCormick (0-for-3) with a run, an RBI, a walk and a strikeout; Rancifer (0-for-2) with two runs, two walks and a strikeout; and Tolliver (0-for-3) with two runs and a strikeout.

Meadows worked five innings from the mound for Franklin County and struck out 10 Tylertown batters.

He walked four while giving up two runs (one of those earned) on one hit.

His pitch-to-strike percentage was 62.5 — with 50 of his 80 throws being called as strikes.

FC is currently 8-0 in district play with only Wesson remaining on the regional schedule.