JAMISON - If only the Franklin Township 8-10 year-old all-stars could have answered one more time in the bottom of the seventh inning.

But it wasn’t meant to be for the Maroon Marauders, as their time in the Section 6 Little League Tournament competition came to an end on Wednesday.

Lehigh’s 8-10 year-old all-stars came away with a hard fought 9-6 victory over Franklin in the loser’s bracket final to advance to play for a sectional title.

It may be the end of a memorable run for the District 18 champs - and Section 6 qualifiers - but it didn’t diminish the squad’s incredible ride.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the way the boys responded, especially after Tuesday’s game,” Franklin Township manager Ben Moyer said. “Obviously, it wasn’t our greatest effort. But they came out tonight, and it showed with the way they played out there. They’ve got the heart of champions.

“They came out. They played hard. And they gave it everything they had tonight. I’m proud of them.”

Instead of hanging their heads after a 14-3 loss to Newtown, Moyer’s club showed the heart of a champion, even after Lehigh took an early 2-0 lead after a half inning of play.

Franklin Township not only answered to tie things up, but it stole the momentum by taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame.

Ethan Laible started things with a leadoff double, and Roman White and Owen Moyer tied the game up quickly with back-to-back RBI singles.

Moyer then crossed home with the go-ahead run thanks to Miles Mann, after he was able to reach base thanks to a Lehigh throwing error.

“It would have been easy for us, especially when they scored two runs in the top of the first ... for us to just fold and let them run away with the game,” Moyer said. “But we answered right back with three runs.”

After two scoreless innings, the action started to pick up in the top of the fourth.

Lehigh plated four more runs to take a 6-3 lead into the top half of the frame. But that advantage was short-lived, as Franklin Township responded with three runs - all with two outs.

Colby Solt and Laible worked back-to-back walks, before White loaded the bases when he reached on a Lehigh error.

Moyer connected with another RBI single, and then Carter Spotts delivered a two-run single to tie things up at 6-6.

“These kids kept their heads held high,” Moyer said. “They kept their heads in the game.”

Lehigh, however, saved its best for last as it pushed across three more in the top of the sixth inning to produce what turned out to be the final tally.

FT didn’t go down quietly, though, in the bottom of the sixth.

The Maroon Marauders had the bases loaded in their last at-bats with Moyer on third, Spotts on second and Jacoby Andrew at first, but Lehigh got out of the jam to secure the victory.

While Franklin wasn’t able to overcome the deficit, the way the group represented their area at sectionals the last three days will be what’s remembered the most.

“I’m super proud of the boys,” Moyer said. “We have a lot of young players on the team. But they definitely represented Franklin Township. The future is bright for Franklin Township baseball.”

MULTIPLE HITTERS … Moyer finished with two singles, a run scored and two RBIs, while Spotts recorded two singles and two RBIs.

EXTRA, EXTRA

… Laible recorded Franklin Township’s lone extra base hit. Laible had a double, in addition to scoring two runs and walking once.

LEHIGH LEADERS

… Colton Brozino sparked Lehigh with a single, double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Dallas Cruz chipped in with two singles, three runs scored and an RBI.

NEXT DAY

… Lehigh will face Newtown for the Section 6 title. Coming out of the loser’s bracket, Lehigh needs to knock off Newtown twice to win the championship.

Lehigh 200 403 - 9 7 3

Franklin Twp. 300 300 - 6 8 6

Emerich, Medina (4), Ondria (6) and Cruz; Moyer, Mann (5) and Spotts. W - Ondria. L - Mann.