BUDE — A day after dropping game one of the opening round of the Class 3A State playoffs, the Franklin County Bulldogs bounced back and shocked the Greene County Wildcats Saturday afternoon with a pair of come from behind victories.

The Bulldogs won 5-3 and 7-3, despite being down 3-0 in the second inning of both games. Franklin County advances to the second round of the 3A state playoffs for the first time since 1998.

“It feels good,” said Bulldog head coach Jeremy Loy. “I’m proud of us for scratching and clawing and not giving up when we were down.”

In game one, the Bulldogs (21-5) used the crafty pitching of senior Blaine Abernathy (7-0) to tie the series. Abernathy fanned 7 and walked 4 in gaining the victory. FCHS was down 3-0 early, before plating four runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning in taking the lead.

DeHendret Collins, Hunter Hatcher and Jordan Hunt each collected two singles apiece to lead the Diamond Dogs at the plate. Senior Ryne Tutor had an RBI single.

“We never gave up and Blaine did his job,” Loy said. “Winning that one was big.”

Abernathy went the distance, retiring the last three batters he faced with a steady dose of curve balls to force three straight ground outs. He struck out 7 in the contest.

Drew Harvison absorbed the loss for Greene County on the hill. He struck out two and walked four in 5 1/3 innings of work.\par

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\tab Game two started out a lot like game one, as the Bulldogs spotted Greene County an early 3-0 lead before battling back to tie it at 3-all in the second frame. The Bulldogs exploded for four runs in the fifth frame to take a 7-3 advantage into the last two innings. \par

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\tab Sophomore pitcher DeHendret Collins, a 5-11, 175-pound southpaw went the distance in collecting the victory for the Dawgs. Collins struck out eight and walked four.\par

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\tab “DeHendret Collins really pitched a good game,” said Loy. “And my centerfielder Jordan Hunt made some plays and hit the ball hard. His double in the fourth was big for us.” \par

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\tab At the plate Hunt led the Diamond Dawgs with four RBIs with a double and a single. He cleared the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning with his clutch hit.\par

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\tab FCHS avenged a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Wildcats Friday night in Leakesville, to take the series. The victories gave Franklin County its first post season series in 10 years.\par

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\tab “It feels good winning this series, but now our focus is on the next series,” added Loy.\par

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\tab Franklin County will play host to the Morton/Raymond winner Thursday afternoon in Bude, beginning at 6 in the second round of the 3A playoffs.\par