Franklin County beats Stephens County 3-2 in Extra Innings

By Ted Taylor

Hudson Huff, Franklin County’s lead-off hitter, smacked two home runs and drove in three runs as the Lions edged the Stephens County Indians 3-2 in eight innings Monday night at The Reservation. Huff led off the game by hitting the first pitch from Findley Ward over the wall in left field to give the Lions an early one-run lead.

Noah Holbrooks drove in Noah Strickland with a sacrifice fly in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1.

Huff hit a sacrifice fly to score Mason Griffin in the top of the fifth inning to give the Lions a 2-1 lead.

Stephens County rallied for the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Findley Ward drove in Holbrooks to tie the game 2-2 and send it into extra innings.

Huff hit his second home run of the game off of reliever Noah Strickland in the top of the eighth, and the Lions held on for the 3-2 win.

Stephens County is now 12-10 on the season and 5-5 in region play. Franklin County moves to 14-9 and 6-4, one game ahead of the Indians.

Findley Ward pitched seven strong innings before Strickland took over in the eighth. Easton Gailey went the distance for Franklin County and got the win.

Game two of the three-game series is Wednesday, April 8, in Carnesville. Game time is 5:55 p.m. with broadcast time on WNEG at 5:45 p.m. The final game of the series is Friday night, April 10, at The Reservation.