The Franklin Park Bobcats ran their winning streak to 8 straight games while winning the Salem Tournament on Saturday.
The Bobcats opened with an impressive 8-6 win over a very good Flora team who entered at 9-1. Salem led 8-3 heading into the final inning as Evan Barnes was solid in the start, allowing 6 hits and 6 runs, 4 earned, in his 5-plus innings of work. Avery Gullion came in to relieve him with the bases loaded in the final inning and got a strikeout and worked out of the jam for the save. At the plate, Max Vincent and Payton Gullion drove in 2 runs each with RBI also from Keytin Grawe, Barnes, Jaret Gibson.
Salem then completed the sweep in a 14-4 win over Benton. The Cats were in a 4-4 tie until the bottom of the 4th when they plated 10 runs capped off by an Evan Barnes grand slam over the centerfield fence. Barnes went 2-3 and drove in 5. Salem got 2 RBI each from Payton and Avery Gullion and Vincent. Kyler King drove in a run. Landen Maxey added 2 hits. That was more than enough for starter Payton Gullion who worked all 5 innings allowing 4 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 5. Salem returns to action Tuesday afternoon at Carlyle entering with a record of 11-2.
