TURNERS FALLS — The Franklin Tech baseball team completed one comeback, but couldn’t quite duplicate the same feat again in a 9-8 loss to Lenox in the Western Mass. Class C quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon.
After trailing 5-0, the fourth-seeded Eagles came all the way back to take the lead in the fourth inning. But the fifth-seeded Millionaires scored four runs in the fifth to take the lead for good.
“Obviously the score didn’t end in out favor,” Franklin Tech coach Dan Prasol said. “We had some self-inflicted wounds, but I am really proud of the fact that these kids battled for seven innings. It would have been very easy after those errors to give up.”
The Millionaires await the winner of top-seeded Drury and No. 8 Athol. The Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the third. Aiden Winn opened the inning with a single. Winn eventually would come home on a bloop single by Hunter Donahue. After stealing second, Donahue turned on the jets to score on a ground out by Nick Prasol to make the score 5-2. Wayde Bardwell followed with an RBI double.
Franklin Tech took the lead in the next inning. Nick Prasol hit an RBI single to bring home a run before another run scored on a wild pitch.
The Eagles took the lead on a close play at home plate. After a single to shallow right by George Gutierrez Jr., Prasol tried to score from third base. The throw beat Prasol to the spot, but Lenox catcher Robbie Bazinet appeared to lose the ball before the tag. The home plate umpire called Prasol out.
Dan Prasol cleared out his players and began appealing to the umpires. Meanwhile, both teams began preparations for the next inning during the ongoing deliberation. The Millionaires were already in their huddle while the home plate umpire talked with Dan Prasol and then confided with the field umpire.
The home plate umpired changed his call and deemed Nick Prasol safe at home. Lenox went back to the field and Franklin Tech went back to hitting with a 6-5 lead.
“The catcher dropped the ball,” Dan Prasol said. “The ball was on the ground. The catcher picked up the ball with his bare hand and tagged Nick (Prasol) with the glove. Nick got around and tagged the plate. The umpire called him out. The ball was in his bare hand, there’s no way he can tag him with his bare hand and come around and tag him…it’s a testament to the umpires being willing to get together and talk. There’s a lot of umpires that won’t do that.”
Unfettered, the Millionaires scored three runs in the next inning to take the lead. Franklin Tech committed three errors in the inning. Franklin Tech would score two runs in the sixth. The first came on a double steal, the second came when Wayde Bardwell drew a walk with the bases loaded.
Braeden Talbot pitched two very strong innings of scoreless relief for Franklin Tech, keeping the Eagles in the game.
Wynn drew walk in the seventh, but the Eagles couldn’t find a way to bring him home and tie the game. Donahue finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Prasol had two RBI, with Gutierrez knocking in another run. Bardwell had two doubles with two RBI.
Mason Bassett started on the mound for Franklin Tech, giving up five earned runs with four hits and two strikeouts.
Softball
Franklin Tech 15, Mount Greylock 7 — The fourth-seeded Eagles advanced in the Western Mass. Class C quarterfinals with a home win over the fifth-seeded Mounties. The Eagles await the winner of No. 1 McCann Tech and No. 8 Mahar.
A seven-run fourth inning helped the Eagles pull away. Offense came from multiple spots in the lineup for Franklin Tech. Lindsey Taylor had monster game for the Eagles, going 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Brayleigh Burgh added three hits with two RBIs. Charley Knight added three hits with four RBIs. Breanna Kempf chipped in with hits and two RBI. Franklin Tech had 15 hits as a team.
Burgh got the win in the circle, pitching seven innings six strikeouts. Burgh gave up seven hits and eight walks.
