FARMINGTON — If Franklin County American Legion coach Kyle Gunzinger has his way, his team will never face Tri-Town pitcher Shawn Murphy again.
“Sixteen innings and we still don’t have a run off him,” Gunzinger said.
Against the No. 2 Flyers on Tuesday night at Hippach Field, Murphy was strong, pitching 8 1/3 innings of shutout ball to lead No. 7 Tri-Town to a 2-0 win in the Zone 2 American Legion baseball tournament.
“My fastball was my most consistent pitch,” said Murphy, who allowed four hits and four walks while striking out nine. “We just had guys making plays tonight.”
Murphy out-dueled Amos Herrin, who threw a complete game for Franklin, allowing six hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts.
Murphy got all the run support he needed in the top of the fifth, when Mitch Javis singled to score Tanner Marston. Tri-Town added a run in the eighth, when Murphy scored on Kaleb Banker’s RBI double. Tri-Town could had added to its lead in the eighth, but Lukas Johnson was called out for leaving third base too early on a sacrifice fly.
Franklin had chances to score, but Murphy set the tone for the night when he got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the first with a double play ball back to the mound.
Franklin’s best chance to score came in the bottom of the fifth when Colton Lawrence singled to right field. Coaching third base, Gunzinger gave runner Thomas Wing a wave and stop sign at third base to induce a throw. Coming around second base, Seth Thomas missed the stop sign, and was thrown out in a rundown between second and third base to end the inning.
“(The hit) was shallow, (Wing) would’ve been thrown out,” Gunzinger said. “It was just a mistake. It happens.”
Franklin and Herrin got out of their own bases-loaded one-out jam in the top of the sixth. Catcher Andrew Pratt pounced on a slow bouncer in front of the plate off the bat of Banker, stepping on home for a force out. One hitter later, Pratt caught a pop foul to end the inning.
“Amos pitched well,” Gunzinger said. “The other kid pitched real well too.”
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Wing singed, and Tri-Town went to the lefty Johnson for the save. Johnson got a force out and walked a hitter before nailing down the win with a grounder to first base.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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