Every time it looked like a gloom and doom ending for Tri-County, it found a way to stay afloat Friday night.

Until Franklin Township’s Alex Bedocs put things to rest for good.

Bedocs lashed a single over Tri-County second baseman Aiden Chitswara - who tried desperately to snag the line drive but to no avail - with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Bedocs’ hit drove in Brayden Ulshafer with the winning run as the Township posted a thrilling 6-5 extra-inning victory. The decision sends unbeaten Township into the winners’ bracket final of the District 18 Little League 10-12-year-old tournament.

The way the dramatic seventh inning unfolded, it looked like it was headed to another extra-inning,Tri-County relief pitcher Brian Sherman seemed out of the woods when he reared back for a pair of huge strikeouts after walking Ulshafer to open the inning. However, Bedocs never hesitated as he swung at the first offering from Sherman sending it on a liner just out of the reach of Chitswara. Ulshafer had set the tables with steals of second and third after drawing the walk.

“Alex is a very clutch hitter, so I had confidence that he would have a good at bat,” Franklin Township manager Travis Hunsicker said. “We had some chances to add (to the lead), but their shortstop (Leo Severino) made a heck of a play to throw out our runner.”

Hunsicker was alluding to the home fourth inning when Franklin had runners at second and third with one out. Severino fielded a grounder and never hesitated with his throw home for the second out. Tri-County was trailing 5-4 at the time and used that big out as a momentum builder when it came to bat in the top of the fifth.

There was one out when Brian Sherman reached on an error, moved up a base on a passed ball and came scooting home on a Kyle Rainer single to tie the game. And if it weren’t for a spectacular heads up play by Franklin Township’s Parker Rodgers on a foul pop - which he turned into a nifty double play - Tri County could have taken the lead. Rodgers nearly went out of play, but kept his balance and then alertly made a strong throw to catcher Nate Walsh for a twin killing to end any further threat.

Rodgers also dazzled with his bat as he went yard with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third, putting his team up 5-4.

“He’s our big boy in the middle of the lineup and he hits it hard consistently,” said Hunsicker about Rodgers’ big home run.

Franklin Township scored four runs in the second with only one hit in the rally, taking advantage of four Tri-County errors. Chase Llewellyn accounted for the only hit in the rally.

Tri-County grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Sherman scored on Kyle Rainer’s singled. They rallied in the third for three runs to tie the game at 4-4, taking advantage of two walks, an error and a two-run single by Rainer, who drove in three of his teams runs in the contest.

“Give Tri-County all the credit in the world. They played a great game,” Hunsicker said. “But our kids found a way to pull it out. This was a great team win.”

AT THE PLATE … Franklin collected seven led by Rodgers’ roundtripper. Llewellyn singled twice, Aiden McCarroll, Brayden Hunsicker, Bedocs and Cash White each had singles. Kyler Rainer had a big day with three hits to take the spotlight at the plate for T-C. Garcia and Sherman each had one single.

ON THE BUMP … Both teams used a pair of pitchers. Ulshafer started for Franklin striking out six and allowing three hits. White finished over the final four innings with four K’s. Reiner started for T-C, striking out four and allowing five hits. Sherman was the loser.

UP NEXT ... Franklin will play powerful Valley West on Tuesday. West clubbed its way to a 22-0 win over Freeland in the other winner’s bracket semifinal.

Tri-County 103 010 0 – 5 5 4

Franklin Twp. 041 000 1 – 6 7 2

Reiner, Sherman (5) and Walsh; Ulshafer, White (4) and Atwood. W – White L – Sherman.