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By DENNIS SEMRAU

Wissports.net

 

STEVENS POINT – Jim Hughes set a state record for most victories this summer but the Franklin coach was missing one key element on his impressive resume: a state title.

 

That finally ended when Franklin closer Marcus Schlemm retired the side in the seventh inning to secure an 11-4 victory over West Bend West and the first state title for Hughes and for Franklin Thursday night at Bukolt Park.

 

"This is for everybody who ever played for us that didn t make it," said Hughes, who has a career record of 748-385. "This is the one thing we didn t get. There were a lot of kids who came through the program who got close."

 

Franklin was making its third appearance in the last four years and its eighth overall. The Sabers furthest advance in the State Tournament was to the title game in 2000 when they finished runner-up. They also placed fifth in the Greater Metro Conference this season.



The Sabers (30-14) didn t waste anytime getting its offense in gear.

 

Evan Walton was hit by a pitch to open the game and moved to third on a one-out single by Jay Dirienzo. Matt Sklander then doubled home Walton and Ryan Geil made it 2-0 for Franklin with an infield grounder to scored Dirienzo.

 

Franklin broke the game open with a six-run outburst in the top of the second inning, taking an 8-0 lead with only one out and chasing starter Harry Steldt and reliever Dylan Hinckley.

 

"We just got on a roll there," Geil said. "One guy gets a hit and a run scores and we all run out there and we re all jacked. Everyone wants to be part of it."

 

Joe Kornhoff and Adam Kaniewski opened the second with back-to-back singles and moved up on a sacrifice. Walton and Lance Baretz followed with RBI-singles to make it 4-0.

 

Dirienzo followed with a two-run double and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. Matt Sklander then launched a solo homer to left field for an 8-0 lead.

 

"We knew they could hit so well and sure enough, it comes to fruition and they get eight runs in two innings," West Bend West coach Bill Albrecht said. "That takes away a lot of things we re good at, bunting and stealing. There s only so much you can do when you re down by eight. We actually got a lot of opportunities but we didn t get that big hit."

 

West Bend West (35-3) added a pair of runs in the third on just one hit. Eric Ducharme drove in the first run on a bases-loaded fielder s choice and Harry Steldt followed with an RBI-single to make it 8-2.

 

West reliever Josh Ernisse helped the cause by allowing just one hit in 3 1/3 innings spanning the second through fifth innings. He gave up a hit to the first batter he faced but retired the next 11 batters in a row.

Meanwhile, West chased Franklin starter Ryan Geil, who allowed a walk to Brandon Roman and a single to right to Davis Yach, to open the fifth.

 

Schlemm then took over and struck out Matt Wolf. But Eric Ducharme came through with a two-run double down the right field line to score Roman and Yach to make it 8-4.

 

Schlemm, though, settled down en route to earning his fifth save of the season.

 

"I used to be a starter so I had the endurance to go to the end," said Schlemm, who allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out six. "We needed a clutch performance and coach usually brings me into pressure situations like that. I was ready."

 

However, Franklin promptly got the two runs back in the sixth when Trevor Thiessen walked, Baretz reached base on an infield error and Sklander made it 10-4 with a two-out double to center field.

 

Brandon Wiedenfeld pinch hit for Baretz with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh and was hit by a pitch to force in a run and cap the scoring.

 

Schlemm retired the Spartans in order in the seventh, getting Jack Meurer to foul out to first baseman Evan Kruczynski to end the game.

 

Hughes said the way his team hit the ball in the title game was impressive.

 

"They really hit the ball didn t they?" Hughes said with a grin. "In the second inning, I don t think I saw hitting like that in all the years I ve been coaching. They just pounded the ball against some pretty good pitchers."

 

With the title safely in hand, Hughes had one final question to put to rest, one which he attacked head on.

 

"I m coming back next year. I already made that decision before we came here," he said with a smile. "It s a good group. We ve got a lot of good guys coming back. That was a no-brainer."

 



Franklin 11, West Bend West 4

 

Franklin                2 6 0 0 0 2 1 – 11 11 1

West Bend West    0 0 2 0 2 0 0 –   4  5  3

 

Pitchers (ip-h-er-bb-so) – Ryan Geil (W, 4-2-4-5-1), Marcus Schlemm (SV, 3-3-0-1-6). Harry Steldt (L, 1-3-3-0-0), Dylan Hinckley (1/3-5-5-0-0), Josh Ernisse (3 2/3-1-0-0-0), Nick (2-2-1-3-3).

 

Leading hitters: F— Sklander 3x4, Dirienzo2x5. W – Yach 2x4. 2B: F – Sklander 2, Dirienzo; W -- Ducharme. HR: F -- Sklander.