They scratched and clawed to get to the top of the mountain, but Franklin Township’s 10-12 year old All Stars’ journey to the District 18 title left them as runners up after a 4-2 loss to Valley West on Monday.

Coming out of the loser’s bracket following a 4-3 defeat in seven innings to Valley West early in the tournament, Franklin had won five straight games to get to the finals, including a 9-4 win over the champions last Friday.

Franklin left everything it had on the field Monday, and battled back to get the tying run at the plate until Valley West pitcher Austin Robert got the final out on a close force play at second base to end the game.

Franklin coach Ben Moyer had nothing but praise for his team’s efforts throughout the tournament.

“We played eight games, and six in nine days coming from the loser’s bracket, and we had to beat Valley West which we did to get here,” said Moyer. “We brought a lot of energy today. It was really a well-played game by both teams. We’re certainly familiar with each other over the past three years. It’s been a long uphill battle, but we came up short. Their three-run inning was the difference. We’re proud of our team. I told them to hold their heads up high. They gave it all they had.”

Robert and Franklin’s Korbin Ahner both began the game pounding the strike zone. Robert finished the top of the first with three-up-and-three-down. After Tyler Zola’s soft line drive single to left, Ahner retired the next three hitters in order in the bottom of the first.

In the second, Franklin scored the game’s first run when Carter Spotts raced home from third base.

Ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the inning, Ahner struck out the side with a one-out single mixed in between by Valley West’s Liam Woznicki.

The bottom of the third inning proved to be the difference-maker for Valley West. After a ground out, Blaze Chipeleski walked from a full count. With two outs, Bronx Mummey singled to left, and Zola walked to load the bases.

Mason Rinker then lined a single to left, plating Chipeleski to tie the score. Robert followed with a two-run single to left to give Valley West a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the fourth inning.

Brock Atwood reached on an infield error for Franklin, but was stranded at first when Robert retired the side on a force play at second.

Valley West increased its lead to 4-1 in the home half of the fourth. With one out and a runner on first, Logan Billing drilled a double over the right fielder’s head, and with runners on second and third, Evan Bissell laced an RBI single to right.

Franklin inched closer by scoring its second run in the fifth. Kish walked with one out and took second on a wild pitch.

With two gone, Landan Steigerwalt singled him home with a hit to left field.

Franklin relief pitcher Ethan Laible worked out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth. With runners at second and third and no outs, Laible retired the next three Valley West batters on a line out to short, a swinging third strike and a ground ball to second.

Franklin made it interesting in what would be its last at bat in the sixth inning. With two outs, Roman White was hit by a pitch, but Robert finished his complete-game victory on a the groundball force out at second.

THE BLACK CLOUD

… With two outs in the top of the sixth, a large black cloud unleashed a torrential downpour on the field. After a 30-minute delay and some fantastic groundskeeping by the coaches, the game resumed with the final out negating a possible suspended game, which would have had to have been played today with two outs and a Franklin runner on first base.

NAIL BITERS

… To get to the title game, Franklin won five straight games, including three in a row over Tamaqua, Valley East, and Jim Thorpe by just a single run.

Franklin Twp. 010 010 - 2 3 0

Valley West 003 10x - 4 9 2

Ahner, Laible (5) and Atwood; Robert and Bissel. W - Robert. L - Ahner.