Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania baseball team were defeated in a pair of games on Senior Day, played at Kentucky Proud Park, against the Franklin College Grizzlies in a doubleheader. The Pioneers had a well-rounded performance in game one, but a two out rally in the ninth inning proved costly. In game two Transy nearly turned the tables with a comeback of their own, but came up one base hit short.
In game one the Grizzlies got on the board in the top of the first, scoring on a groundout. In the bottom of the inning Transylvania quickly tied things up on a Trent Youngblood RBI single, and TJ Keck came through with another base knock which scored two more after an error. Matt Broadwater drove in Keck on a groundout, and the Pioneers took a 4-1 lead after one.
From there the game slowed down offensively, as Robby Arnett settled in on the mound. Franklin scored once on a fielding error in the third, and tacked on another in the fifth, to come within a run. Arnett continued to work and got a huge strikeout with a runner on third to get out of the sixth. From there, Walter Munday blasted one to the Kentucky scoreboard in right center for a solo shot and Braden Becker's sac fly put Broadwater home for a 6-3 lead.
Kaden Hill took over pitching duty in the seventh, where Franklin scored once but were held from there. The freshman kept the Grizzlies scoreless in the eighth, but with two down in the ninth inning they not only tied the game but took a 9-6 lead. In the blink of an eye the Pioneers were down with just three outs to go. Calvin Schubert singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but Transylvania was unable to come closer than that, as Franklin shut the door on a 9-6 win.
In game two Lee Watson took the ball and put up a pair of zeros until the Grizzlies got on the board in the third. Transylvania had a slow start offensively, until suddenly Griffin Hall put them into the hit column by smoking a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth. Two pitches later Youngblood sent Hall moving right along with a ground rule double, and the game was tied 1-1.
Franklin came back in the fifth inning with a costly three run homer, and put another across in the sixth to go up 5-1. Meanwhile, the Pioneers put up baserunners but lacked the one big hit they needed to get back in the game.
That hit finally came as Keck drove one to left for a ground rule double, pushing Hall to third. He then came home after a wild pitch, and Brennan Perry hit a long sacrifice fly to score Keck, as Transy had life. Caleb Bowers kept it going with another double to score Munday, and the score was 5-4. Max Medley came in and pitched a quick top of the ninth, giving the Pioneers a chance for heroics. Schubert got on base and worked his way to second on a throwing error with one out, but Franklin escaped and took the win, 5-4.
After the game, seniors Matt Broadwater, Zion Echols, Sam Flora, Devon Hart, Charlie Henry, TJ Keck, Max Medley, Jake Schmidt, and Nick Wade were recognized for their accomplishments both on and off the field during their careers at Transylvania, and special memories were shared. A group that certainly will be missed, the team will now look ahead to three more games to close out the season.
The Pioneers are next in action on Tuesday, May 3rd, with a single road game at Spalding University in Louisville. The team will look to avenge their loss to the Golden Eagles back on March 23rd.
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