The winning team in baseball is not always determined by getting more base hits than their opponent.

On Monday, Franklin Township collected four runs on only three base hits to defeat East Stroudsburg, 4-1, and advanced to the next round of the Senior Connie Mack Tournament.

Fifth-seeded Franklin scored three of its four runs in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Cole Dietz and Hunter Kintz both got aboard on four-pitch walks. On a full count, Jake Lewis ripped a double to left field to plate both runners. Pierce Goida followed with a single to center to drive in Lewis for the third run.

The home team managed one more run and one more hit the rest of the game, but the outcome was never in doubt as Dietz took command on the mound.

“Cole is like a robot. He throws a fastball, a curve, and a change-up — all for strikes,” said manager JC Dietz. “He proves if you keep hitters off balance, you don’t have to throw with high velocity to get them out.

“He also works very well with Pierce Goida, our catcher. I let Pierce override some of my pitch calls, and he’s not afraid to call for a breaking ball when we need a strikeout. That’s the trust our pitchers and catchers have with each other.” During his complete game performance, Dietz struck out eight, walked none, and allowed one run on four hits. He retired 14 batters in a row before 12th-seeded East Stroudsburg (8-10) scored in the top of the seventh inning. Josiah Caceres led off with a single up the middle. With one out, Kayden Palys doubled to right-center to score Caceres.

Franklin pushed across their fourth run in the bottom of the third without the benefit of a base hit. With one out, Lewis reached on an dropped fly ball in the outfield. Goida forced him at second for the second out. Goida then stole second and went to third on a throwing error. He scored on a wild pitch.

Coach Dietz makes no secret about how his team forged a 12-5 record during the regular Connie Mack season.

“We rely on good pitching and small ball,” he said. “We steal bases and drop down bunts to move runners up. We’ve scored a lot of runs just by getting into scoring position and then forcing the defense to make plays.”

In this contest, two Eastburg errors, five walks and two wild pitches factored into Franklin’s four runs.

For East Stroudsburg, Caceres relieved in the fifth inning and retired six straight batters with four outs recorded by strikeouts, but the game belonged to the Maroon and White, winning with stellar pitching, and clutch hitting.

GUNNED DOWN … Besides his RBI single, Goida erased a possible Eastburg rally in the third inning when he threw out a runner trying to steal second for the third out.

NEXT UP … Franklin will next play on Wednesday at fourth-seeded Nazareth at 5:30 p.m. FT lost to Nazareth 5-0 during the regular season.

Eastburg 000 000 1 - 1 4 3

Franklin Twp. 301 000 x - 4 3 3

Smith, Caceres (5) and Roman; Dietz and Goida. W - Dietz. L - Smith.