Alfred Mucciarone’s emotions as he recorded his 10th and final strikeout of the night told it all. This one meant a little more.
Mucciarone threw a complete game allowing three earned runs while fanning 10 and walking one as No. 1 Franklin completed a regular season sweep of Hockomock League rival Taunton, 7-4, on Friday night at Franklin High School.
The win earned Franklin the Hockomock Kelley-Rex crown. All three of Mucciarone’s earned runs came on a three shot by Dawson Bryce in the third inning. From that point forward Mucciarone did not allow a hit.
“Taunton is as good as advertised today was just not their day,” Franklin coach Zach Brown said. “Real competition is when you do something good, they do something good, and you have to respond. Today was one of those days.”
The Panthers (15-0) did all the damage needed in the bottom of the second as they recorded six straight hits to start the frame. After Luke Sidwell and Ethan DePaolo each singled, Ryan Carlucci hit an RBI double off the center field wall to give Franklin a 1-0 lead. Moments later, leadoff hitter and Northeastern bound Ryan Gerety slapped a two RBI double to left to stretch the advantage to 3-0. Jase Lyons kept the hit parade going with an RBI hit to score Gerety before Esig Chin followed up with one of his own. The final run of the frame came home on an RBI groundout from Henry DiGiorgio.
“If you want to accomplish your goals and win this league you have to go through Taunton,” Brown said. “We do not get too far ahead of ourselves. We are just trying to be the best version of ourselves each day and they really buy into that. I am very proud of how Franklin competed today.”
Ahead 6-0 Mucciarone appeared in cruise control but Bryce got the Tigers back in the game with a three run blast to left that trimmed the deficit in half. The Panthers answered in the third when Sidwell singled and came around to score on a wild pitch.
Taunton (11-4) tried to keep pace as Andrew Cali reached on an error and came home later on a groundout to bring the visitors back within 7-4. Mucciarone, however, recorded three of his final four outs via the strikeout to seal the win for Franklin.