(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to most sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next day’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from July 25, 1989).

By Ed Hedes

TIMES NEWS Staff

The District 18 Little League 10-12 year-old championship banner found a home in Franklin Township on Tuesday night.

And it was welcomed with open arms by the locals after they defeated Valley East, 12-9, to sweep through the tournament without a loss.

“This was really an emotional win for us,” said Franklin coach Rich “Reds” O’Donnell, spokesman for a thrilled manager Gary Fink, who was lost for words. “We were down a couple of times, but these kids just never quit and it makes it even more special.”

And O’Donnell wasn’t kidding when he said they were down a couple of times. Valley East jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. At an even more crucial point, the top of the fifth, Valley East moved back on top again, 9-8, putting Franklin back on the ropes again, but they answered the bell and proved their own knockout punch with a four-run uprising.

“We came up with some key hits at some important times and in the final two innings, our relief pitcher (Jesse Brown) really found the groove once he settled down.”

Moving into the championship out of the winner’s bracket for the first time, Franklin put Bill Parliman on the mound in an effort to finish off the double-elimination tournament without going back to Valley East for a deciding game later this week.

In the first inning, as could be expected in a championship game of that caliber, Franklin suffered a case of the jitters. Before the locals settled down, Valley East, behind a Robbie Kozel double and Travis Kupsho grand slam, had a 5-0 lead.

This didn’t matter to Franklin, however. In the bottom of the inning, it answered back with three of its own.

Dryw Dworsky led off with a walk, Mike Strohl singled to center and Brown followed with a single to drive in the first run. Strohl and Brown moved up to second and third on a wild pitch, then both scored on a base hit by Marc Sterling.

Trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the second, Franklin made its move again - this time three more runs put FT on top, 6-5.

Travis Fink led off with a single, Dworsky laid down a perfect bunt for another hit, then both moved up on a wild pitch. Fink scored on a single by Brown.

Sterling then cam up with two more RBIs on a single, before being stranded on third after an error and a passed ball.

In the third, Valley East tied it when Justin Veazie reached on an error, moved to third on a single by Ryan O’Donnell and scored on a fielder’s choice.

Back came Franklin in the bottom of the inning, however, for two more for an 8-6 advantage.

Brent Hartman singled, moved to second on an error, to third on a passed ball and he scored on a wild pitch. With two out, Dworsky walked, moved to second on a passed ball, to third on an error and scored on another error.

Heading into the top of the fifth, Franklin felt it had got all it could ask for out of Parliman. So in comes Brown.

“We saw that Billy was tiring a bit, so we thought if we could get two good innings out of Jesse, we would win it,” said O’Donnell.

Valley East managed to put some pressure on Franklin by scoring three in the fifth.

O’Donnell walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Kevin Mitchell walked and Brian Eckert followed with a single to drive in O’Donnell. On the play, Mitchell and Eckert moved up, with Mitchell also scoring to tie it at 8-8. Eckert then crossed the plate with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Was Franklin finished?

Don’t bet on it.

The locals put the finishing touches on Valley East with four of their own in the bottom of the inning.

Hartman started it with a leadoff walk, then moved right around to score on a single by Fink that saw Valley East commit another throwing error. Fink wound up on third and scored the eventual winning run on a double by Dworsky, who was a big star. He finished the night with two singles, two walks, and scored four runs. Strohl followed with a single to drive in Dworsky and Muffley doubled to drive in Strohl.

In just nine years of existence, Franklin Township has made it to the championship four times. The three previous times, all out of the loser’s bracket, were in 1983, 1986 and 1988.

There was more than one hitting star for the winners. Sterling and Brown both had three hits, while Strohl and Fink each added two along with Dworsky. Brown was the winning pitcher.

Franklin will travel into the State Tournament, to play Danville, Berwick or Northumberland.

Valley East 501 030 - 9 6 7

Franklin 332 04x - 12 14 4

Horonosky, Mitchell (4), Kupsho (5) and Veazie, Eckert (4); Parliman, Brown (5) and Sterling. WP - Brown. LP - Mitchell. HR - Kupsho, Valley East (grand slam).