Prep Baseball Report

Game of the Day: Frankfort at Jefferson



By Dan Williams
West Virginia Director of Scouting 

Frankfort 10, Jefferson 9

554cdf88-32c0-48bc-8376-76950aecb0f6.png (280×257)In a reversal of the early season trend, offense ruled the day as Frankfort, No. 8 in the most recent Metro News AA Power Rankings, defeated Jefferson, No. 1 in the Metro News AAA Rankings.  Frankfort is the first West Virginia team to beat Jefferson, the defending state  AAA champs, since 2015.

Frankfort started early with Brett Whiteman singling and eventually scoring on a John Ackerman single.  The Cougars wasted no time in responding putting up two in the bottom of the inning on an Austin Bulman (No. 5 in the current WV Class of 2017 rankings ) single, a walk and, Radford recruit,  Austin Cross' ( No. 7 in the current  WV Class of 2017 rankings) double.

Down 2-1 the Falcons got right back at it as A.J. Christ homered to left.  Zack Whitacre (No. 9 in the current WV Class of 2019 rankings) then made it 3-2 on an RBI single.  Again the Cougars answered in the bottom half of the inning as Daniel Brennan doubled and scored on Bulman's second single of the game.

With the score tied at three Frankfort used doubles by Christ and Whiteman as well as a single by Whitacre to retake a 5-3 lead.  As good teams do, Jefferson continued to respond.  Daniel Brennan doubled to left then scored on a Cole Walker single.  The Cougars added another in the inning when a fielders choice scored Bulman who had reached after being hit by pitch.

The Falcons broke the 5-5 tie in the sixth on a Whitacre single and a two run blast to left by Whiteman.  Guess what happened next?  That's right Jefferson answered.  This time a Bullman single, Cross single and an Alex Tenant single plated three to give to give the Cougars an 8-7 lead.

Their resiliency being tested, Frankfort was up to the challenge in the top of the seventh. They recaptured the lead on singles by Foster Conis, Nick Corwell and Ackerman.  A walk and a Jefferson error also contributed as the Falcons scored three to assume a 10-8 lead.

Do you think Jefferson went down quietly in the bottom of seventh?  Nope, Bailey Dodson led off with a single to right and, following a Buhlman walk, scored when Cole Walker singled.  As was fitting in this back and forth contest the game did not end without drama. Buhlman, a Shippensburg recruit, attempted to score on a ball that kicked away from catcher Corwell. However, Corwell was able to retrieve the ball and feed pitcher Whiteman in time to tag out Buhlman to end the game and secure victory for Frankfort.

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