The New Franklin baseball team wrapped up the fall season at home with a high-scoring win over Northeast (Cairo), 14-9, on Thursday. 

The Bulldogs end the season with an overall record of 11-4. Cairo ends the season 13-4 overall.

Thursday’s matchup was the conclusion of a game that began in Cairo on September 4 but was suspended due to weather. Team’s resumed play in the top of the fourth inning with New Franklin leading 9-6. As if 15 combined runs weren’t enough, the teams drove in eight more to conclude the game with a 14-9 decision in favor of the Bulldogs.

Cairo held New Franklin scoreless in the top of the fourth inning, then picked up two runs on a pair of runs and an RBI double.

The Bulldogs answered right back in the top of the fifth. Jake Marshall led off with a walk and came home on a bomb to center field by Drew Rhorer to center field.

“Cairo came out strong, but we responded in the top of the fifth, punctuated by an absolute blast by Drew,” said New Franklin coach Erich Gerding.

New Franklin added a double by Connor Wilmsmeyer and a single by Sawyer Felton to finish out the inning with three runs.

Cairo picked up one more run in the bottom of the fifth. After leading off with a double, Kaden Winkler was driven home on a sacrifice groundout by Z. Holman. The lone run would be the end of Cairo’s offensive production, as the Bearcats would be held scoreless in the final two frames.

New Franklin padded its lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Wilmsmeyer led off with a double and later scored on a line-drive single by Dalton Ivy. After reaching with a walk, Felten crossed the plate for the final run of the season for the Bulldogs on a line-drive single by Landon Shaw.

The Bulldogs drove in 14 runs on 18 hits. Wilmsmeyer had two doubles and a home run in a 3-for-3 performance with a game-high three RBI. Tanner Bishop, Marshall, and Ivy each doubled. Rhorer hit his second home run of the season, going 2-for-5 with two RBI.

“The top of our order pounded the ball in this combined game,” Gerding said. “Connor hit the cover off the ball.”

Jake Marshall earned the win on the mound after starting the game with three innings in September. He then closed out the game with two more innings. In five total innings, he allowed six earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and issued four walks.

Rhorer pitched the first two innings as play resumed on Thursday, allowing three earned runs off two hits and two runs. He retired one batter on strikes. 

“Jake started the game on September 5 and finished it with a great last two innings tonight,” Gerding said. “It was also good to get Drew out there tonight for a ‘start’ before the spring. We had a pretty good fall season. This is a fun group. We have a lot of work to do still this off-season and next spring, though.”

The Bulldogs won the final two games of the fall season, scoring 23 runs while allowing just 10. New Franklin opens the spring season at Fayette on March 18.