By Mickey Smith
ETX Bell
The Frankston Indians have certainly had their share of adversity and big adjustments this season.
However, some players stepped up for Frankston, and Head Coach Wes made the right moves to earn a regional semi-final bid in the Class 2A D1 playoff at Bulldog Field in Carthage last Thursday for Game One.
Game Two was played at Tatum’s Eagle Field on Friday night.
After a stellar playoff run to finish district play in second place, the Indians fell in two games to Shelbyville.
Game one was highlighted by a strong showing on the mound from both pitchers, but the Dragons scored early to hold on to a 5-2, Shelbyville win.
Game Two was a little different. The Indians’ bats came around, but they fell short 10-5 on late-inning Dragon clutch hitting.
Shelbyville (25-7-1), advances to the regional finals, where they will face Centerville in a three game set.
The Dragons have made quite a run after finishing in third place in District 23-2A play.
Indian head coach Wes King was proud of his team’s efforts and the playoff run they put together.
“You know, considering losing two notable players before the season, these guys have really exceeded my expectations for the year,” said Coach King. “In both games we got behind, and it’s just harder to play that way and changes things when you have to play catch-up.”
Frankston finishes with a 23-8 season mark, after a fifth-consecutive playoff appearance since Coach King arrived from Alto during the odd COVID year.
Since that time, the Indians have finished no worse than second place, taking the league crown back-to-back seasons in 2022-23.
Since coming to Frankston, he has accumulated a 120-37-1 record.
The longest playoff run in the past six seasons was a Regional Semi-Final loss last year to eventual top dog, Harelton.
“Coach King has been here in Frankston for six years, and he has done a tremendous job with our baseball program over those years,” said Frankston Athletic Director Paul Gould. “We have continually been in the playoffs and advanced.”
The Indians bowed up to best the Rebels of Ore City (11-8, 1-5, 6-1), in a three-game Bi-District district round win.
Frankston then tomahawked Hawkins in the Area round in two straight, 11-4, and 5-0.
GAME ONE
Shelbyville 5, Frankston 2
CARTHAGE – Shelbyville took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, and rode the arm of Dallas Murray for a complete game three-hitter to take the win.
Down by two runs, it appeared the Indians would take advantage of a bases-loaded situation with one out.
However, a grounder was fielded and thrown to second for out two.
The shortstop covering second made an attempt at a double play as Aidan Lewis would have scored for Frankston
However, the umpire called runner interference, thus completing the odd double play, more importantly, erasing the run.
“It was a little bit of a setback, but that’s baseball, Coach King said about the play, adding, ” but the umpire made the right call, so you just gotta keep plugging away.”
Winning hurler Murray helped his mound efforts in the second inning with a one-out double.
Scarborough followed up with an RBI single and the Dragons led at 3-0.
Shelbyville finished their scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Gavin McDonald slapped a triple to the wall as leadoff. A single played McDonald’s.
Shelbyville’s last run was unusual, but nothing like the Indians’ final score.
Dragon, Jason Lambright hits a nubber that’s fielded and thrown home to cut down Bryant Doggett, but he was called safe, for a 5-0 shutout.
The shutout ended quickly on a play sophomore catcher Carter Stibbens will long remember.
After Tucker Palmer drew a two-out walk, in steps Stibbens.
His hard hit drive to centerfield was attempted to be caught.
However, after diving well short of the hit, as the ball rolled to the fence, Stibbens displayed incredible speed, touching all the bases for a two-RBI, inside the park round-tripper, and the 5-2 final tally.
GAME TWO
Shelbyville 10, Frankston 5
TATUM – The Dragons set the stage, jumping out early to a 2-0 lead after the opening at-bat.
A leadoff single was followed by back-to-back RBI doubles from Morgan and Gus Duvon, accounting for the two runs.
Shelbyville added on in the top of the third inning with Doggett getting his second hit after Gavin McDonald drew a walk.
Doggett next ripped a two-RBI triple and made it 5-0, after scoring on an Indians wild pitch.
The Indians’ bats finally came around to get back in the mix.
Teammates Tristan McCoy and Carson Bizzell each singled to start off the rally.
McCoy was erased on a fielder’s choice at third base off the bat of Aidan Lewis.
Junior, Carson Bizzell, next stole third base and scored on Aidan Lewis’s fielder’s choice error.
Next up, Bradlee Gould fired a rocket too hot for the Dragon third sacker, scoring Lewis and a 5-2 scoreboard.
The fourth and fifth innings were goose eggs until both teams’ bats woke back up again in the sixth frame.
Unfortunately for Frankston, three more runs on four hits built back more ground to cover for the Indians 8-2.
The Indians broke out the war sticks.
Gould (3-4; run scored RBI) led off another Indian comeback.
Tucker Palmer and Carter Stibbons were both hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Coach King went to pinch-hitter Luke Dugan, and the sophomore came through with a three-RBI double, for what was to be the final war dance on the diamond in ’25.
The Dragons iced the game with two more hits and two more runs in the top of the seventh for the final 10-5 score.
“It just seemed like everytime we’d get something going, they seem to always come right back at us,” Coach King added in closing, ” but this has been a real special group that never complained, they have just worked so hard to overcome these adversities, I could not be p
any prouder if these guys, and the year we put together.”
