(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 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 16, 2006).

By Mike Feifel

mfeifel@tnonline.com

The “monkey” has been lifted off the backs of the Franklin Township Babe Ruth 15-year-old team.

After two straight years wearing the second-place ribbon, great defense and timely hitting helped Ben Millen pitch Franklin to a 6-2 win over Hazleton for a District 4 title.

“It’s our year,” Millen said after getting past this game and on to the state playoffs.

After pitching three innings two days before, Millen started the game a little shaky. Two hits and a walk in the first inning gave Hazleton an early 1-0 lead.

Millen, who pitched all seven innings last night, settled in and gave up only two hits the rest of the way.

If defense wins championships, then Franklin won by making a habit of making key plays to end the inning and preserving a slim 3-2 lead.

“Defense was a great part of my game,” Millen said of his teammates. “They really helped me out.”

With two runners on and two out in the fifth, catcher Danny Farole’s snap throw to first picked off the runner ending the inning.

Craemer Hedash stepped up big in the fifth inning. After Hazleton’s John Carcia singled, Hedash stabbed Ryan Kukowski’s line drive for the inning’s second out.

The next batter, P.J. Andrasko, singled to right. Franklin’s Andrew Merkle fielded the ball cleanly and fired it in. Hedash relayed his throw perfectly to third base where Joe Hughes put the tag on Carcia to end the inning.

The web gem of the game, though, went to Chris Kalaf. His diving catch in center field to take away Marchetti’s bid for extra bases was described by Millen as “awesome.”

Franklin put the game away in the sixth inning.

Adam Matika, who drove in two runs early, led off the inning with a double and Hughes reached on an error. Matika scored on Kalaf’s single.

Glenn Hibbler bunted safely to load the bases for Hedash to single in the final two runs.

Franklin defeated Blue Valley North 4-1 earlier in the day to advance to the championship game.

“They’ve been doing that all tournament long,” said coach Ed Kunkle. “Their bats may have been silent sometime, but the pitching and defense has been there.

“Millen and Pat Dennis have been studs on the mound. They came through. Dennis pitched two complete games and gave up one run in each game.”

Franklin Township now advances to the state tournament in Williamsport. They will play Thursday, July 20 at 5 p.m. at Winder Field against an unnamed District 7 opponent.

Hazleton 101 000 0 - 2 4 2

Franklin Twp. 201 003 x - 6 9 1

Kukowski, Gazdziak (6) and Marchetti; Millen and Farole. W - Millen. L - Kukowski.