North Franklin Cats winning pitcher Cody Bullen delivers in a Babe Ruth game against Wilton. (David Hart photo) SALEM –- The Cat’s Babe Ruth baseball team ended last week with two consecutive wins led by great pitching, team defense and hot bats.

Last Wednesday the Cats traveled to Farmington to take on the second place Merchants.

North Franklins Parker Kennedy took the hill and pitched six innings striking out 10 batters along the way. In the first inning Kennedy hit an RBI single to drive in Trent Rosenberg for the first run for the Cats. Rosenberg went 3-for-3 in the lead-off spot and scored three of the Cats five runs that day.

The Merchants answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame.

The Cats found they were trailing 3-1 at the end of four. In the fifth inning, with Rosenberg on third after a single and Jay Chenard at second who drew a walk, Mitchell Toothaker delivered a two out, two RBI single to even the score at three. Toothaker, Cody Bullen, Kennedy, Chenard and Rosenberg delivered again in the sixth to add two more on the board.

Chenard made his debut as a Babe Ruth catcher in this game and gunned down two base runners attempting to advance.

Bullen came in to close the game in the bottom of the seventh. With the tying run on second his sharp curve ball was un-hittable and fanned the final batter of the game. Kennedy got the win on the day and Bullen recorded the save.

North Franklin Cats, 11

Wilton Bears, 5

On Sunday, the Bears of Wilton came to Mt. Abram for the Cats ninth game of the season.

Wilton started things off with three runs to start the first, but only scored two more runs for the entire game. Bullen was available for six innings and sent down 10 batters by-way-of-the-K. In the bottom of the first the Cats sent eight batters to the box scoring four runs to take the lead. Kennedy had a two RBI triple. Kennedy went 3-for-3 with two triples and three runs. Chenard also tripled for the Cats and scored twice.

Leading 5-3 in the third, singles by Sam Morse, Jonny Hart, Arthur Ryan and a double by Jamie Marshall led to three more on the board for the Cats.

The Cats’ bats eventually silenced a loud and energetic Bear dugout. Matt Kelley singled in Kennedy for their 10th run in the fourth.

Hart came in to close the final inning leading 11-5 and shut down the three he faced in order. Bullen was credited with the win.

The Cats traveled to Hippach on Monday to face the Falcons where Chenard was expected to take the hill. They will face the Bears again at home at MTA this Wednesday, June 23 and host the Merchants on Friday, June 25. Playoff action is expected to start on Sunday, June 27 in a double elimination format.