Franklin County coach Ronnie Royston says the best is yet to come from his baseball team, but a 17-0 record – one of three unbeaten marks in the state – indicates that things are already pretty good in Carnesville.
Franklin County is ranked No. 2 behind Blessed Trinity (16-0), the defending state champion, in Class AAA. Bowdon (14-0) of Class AA is the other undefeated team.
For Franklin County, that’s improvement. The team was 8-16 only two seasons ago.
What Royston finds most enjoyable about his team is its youth. He has only three seniors – P/2B Luke Roberts, P/INF Evan Rumsey and OF Jackson Prickett, all starters.
Rumsey (4-0, 1.23 ERA) and Roberts (2-0, 1.03) are in the rotation with junior Aubrey Davis (5-0, 1.65). The team ERA is 1.80.
The bulk of the positions players are juniors. Catcher Jackson Meadors (.434, 4 HR) and left fielder Connor Williams (.452) have been the top hitters. Speedy CF/P Ryan Partin (.302) and part-time starter Jacob Harris (7-for-14) also are solid on a team hitting .342 and averaging nine runs per game.
Two sophomores are starting. They are shortstop Zack Hill (.375, team-leading 19 runs) and third baseman Landon Hall (.348, four HR). Both could become Division I recruits.
Signs already point to a better finish than last season. A year ago, Franklin lost in the first round of the AAA playoffs to Hart County. In March, Franklin beat Hart 1-0 and 6-4. On Thursday of this week, Franklin defeated second-place Dawson County (12-3, 6-1) in a Region 7-AAA game.
Royston doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, but it should be a fun stretch run.
“Honestly we are a year away from having a great team,’’ Royston said. ‘’We pitch OK and play great defense. We are athletic at most all positions and at times show signs of being mentally tough.’’
Franklin will play Dawson County again on Friday.
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