File photo – The Fortuna Huskies
An extra-innings walk-off victory secured a doubleheader sweep for the Fortuna Huskies against the Arcata Tigers on Saturday.
After taking game one 6-4, the Huskies had to rally to tie game two in the bottom of the seventh, before pulling out a 4-3 win in nine innings.
“It was a team effort today,” Fortuna head coach Max Betts said. “The boys came together and had their best day of the year. I thought we played 16 complete innings.”
Trailing by a run and down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two, Fortuna’s Kallen Barrote hit a double before Arcata head coach Troy Ghisetti intentionally walked the in-form Tyler Schlesiger.
Senior Drew Franklin then delivered in the clutch, hitting a game-tying RBI single to send the game to extra innings.
“It was good to see him get a big knock for us,” Betts said of Franklin, who had struggled at the plate over the last couple of games.
After a scoreless eighth, the Tigers re-took a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, but the home team would have the final say.
Barrote, who had a big day at the plate, hit a one-out double, before Schlesiger was intentionally walked again and then Franklin walked to load the bases.
Chandler Crenshaw’s hard-hit ball up the middle resulted in an Arcata error and scored the game-winning run.
Freshman Tanner Franklin got the win on the mound in relief and played well beyond his years.
The younger Franklin came in in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded and got out of the jam before closing out the game with two more solid innings.
“He came in cold blooded and got us out of the jam and it was big time,” said Betts, whose team improved to 4-5 in the Big 5.
Nathan Cleek got the start on the hill and threw six strong innings for a no decision, allowing just two runs and striking out four.
Barrote finshed the game 3-for-5 with two big doubles, while his cousin Blayne Barrote also had a hit.
Jonah O’Brien led the Tigers at the plate in game two and was 2-for-5, while Eli Greenway, Gavin Anderson and Canyon Martin each also had a hit.
Tanner Kees threw seven solid innings for the Tigers, with Greenway taking the loss in relief.
In game one, Schlesiger and Kallen Barrote each had two hits for the Huskies, while Drew Franklin was 1-for-1 with three walks.
Mussey, Hunter Reback, Mariquis Ludd and Emmitt Lumpkin each also had a hit.
Drew Franklin threw 6.2 innings for the win and struck out five, before Tanner Franklin pitched one third of an inning in relief for the save, giving the freshman a win and a save on the same day.
“They’ve been great for us all year,” Betts said of the Franklin brothers. “It’s been a pleasure coaching them both.”
O’Brien took the loss in relief of starter Finn Warner, but threw 3.1 solid innings.
Ben Lukens led the Tigers at the plate in the opener and was 2-for-4 with a double, while Warner also had a double.
Eli Greenway also was 2-for-3, with Kees, Alex Greenway and Anthony Ebert each also getting a hit.
With the two losses, the Tigers dropped to 1-5 in the Big 5, but three of those losses have been by just one run and all five came by just a combined seven runs.
“We continue to battle and give ourselves opportunities,” Ghisetti said. “The one thing about this team is we give ourselves opportunities to win games. But it’s the little things.
“The difference, I think, is Fortuna has a lot more veteran players that have played at this level.
“Our pitchers are doing a great job keeping us in games, we just cannot push the key runs across when we need them.”
