Franklin Regional uses walk-off walk in 9th to grab wild win over Plum

By: Michael Love
Monday, March 24, 2025 | 9:23 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Seven innings were not enough to decide a winner between neighboring rivals Plum and Franklin Regional in a Class 5A nonsection softball game Wednesday afternoon at a chilly and windy Franklin Regional High School.

The Mustangs and Panthers played into the ninth inning before FR pushed a run across for the win.

Shortstop Toryn Fulton drew a bases-loaded walk on a full count with two outs to score pinch runner Celina Camacho from third to give the Panthers an 8-7 victory in their home opener after playing four games in Florida.

“We had a lot of opportunities to score, especially late in the game, and so did Plum,” said veteran Franklin Regional coach Jim Armstrong, whose team improved to 3-2. “We count on Toryn for a lot, and she had a really good game for us. That last at-bat, she fought through it. She has power, but she had good vision to take that last pitch.

“Plum was able to fight back, so you have to give them a lot of credit. But our girls were resilient and were able to get a nice win against a pretty good team.”

Fulton finished 1 for 3 with three walks. Her one hit was a two-run homer in the bottom of the third that gave FR a 4-2 lead.

She plated the winning run one inning after popping out to first with runners on first and third and no outs. FR left the bases loaded in the eighth.

The Panthers built a 7-3 lead after four innings against Plum starter Mackenzie Marotta.

FR left fielder Laurel Goldstrom drew a walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Second baseman Bella Salas, who finished 3 for 5, then doubled to deep center.

Pinch runner Olivia Cowell was off from first on the hit and was sent home as she rounded third. But the Plum relay throw to catcher Liana Yusko was on the mark, and Cowell was tagged out to send the game into extra innings.

The bottom of the ninth didn’t start too promising for FR as the first two batters struck out against Marotta.

Salas kept the inning alive with a single, and Ciara Camacho followed with a single to put two runners on.

C.C. Copeland then grounded to Mustangs third baseman Riley Stephans, who moved to third for an attempted force out of Celina Camacho, who was bearing down on the base.

The play was close, but the base umpire ruled Camacho safe. It kept the inning alive and brought Fulton to the plate.

“We’ve had some crazy games against each other over the years,” Plum coach Phil Dilonardo said. “This was a really good game between two good teams, two teams who can really hit the ball. I am proud of the girls for the way they kept fighting when Franklin built that (four-run) lead.”

Plum lost for the first time this season after a 3-0 start in which it scored a total of 30 runs. The Mustangs pounded out 14 hits Monday, including five doubles, against FR starter Chloe Lancaster and reliever Maddie Hill.

Plum rallied with two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, and one more in the seventh to tie the score.

The Mustangs went down in order in the top of the eighth. In the ninth, Plum had a runner on second with one out and the bases loaded with two outs but was not able to score.

“Our pitchers, Chloe and Maddie, were able to hold them off,” Armstrong said. “Plum is a very good hitting team. There were some breaks that went our way a couple of times defensively, but the girls battled and I’m proud of them.”

Lancaster pitched five innings and gave up nine hits and three earned runs while striking out two and walking none. Hill earned the win with five hits and two runs allowed over the final four innings.

Mustangs shortstop Dani Pici reached safely in all five of her plate appearances — a double, three singles and a walk — and scored two runs.

Stephans doubled and also plated a pair of runs with sacrifice flies in the first and fifth innings.

Left fielder Gia Tavella collected three hits with a double and two singles.

Marotta, who made her first start of the season, went the distance for Plum and gave up 13 hits and eight walks, two intentional, while striking out 10.

“Mackenzie did a great job the whole way,” Dilonardo said. “All I was looking for from her was 100% effort, and that is what she gave for her team. That is a tough lineup they have.”

Ciara Camacho, Copeland, Adrianna Martz and Ava Rhoten joined Salas in recording multi-hit games.

“We did a lot of things in Florida to get a lot of girls involved, and we did that again today with getting a lot of pinch hitters and pinch runners in the game,” Armstrong said. “This was a really nice team win. Everyone contributed.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Plum