HUNTINGTON — Frankfort is headed back to familiar territory.
The Falcons used a strong outing from Jaxon Hare and capitalized on a pair of Independence errors to defeat the Patriots 4-1 Thursday night in a Class AA semifinal at Jack Cook Field. The victory sends Frankfort to its third consecutive state championship game and sets the stage for another chance at a title after falling in last year’s Class AAA final.
Frankfort (26-7) won the Class AA championship in 2024 with a victory over Independence, making Thursday’s semifinal a rematch of that title game. The Falcons will now seek their second state championship in three seasons.
Hare was the difference on both sides of the ball.
The senior scattered three hits over seven innings, allowing one unearned run while striking out four and walking five. He worked around traffic throughout the night, stranding seven Independence runners and holding the Patriots scoreless over the final four innings.
Independence (28-9) struck first in the third inning.
Brady Williams tripled to deep center field and scored when a throw back into the infield skipped away, giving the Patriots a 1-0 lead. Tristan Lykins followed with a single and Micah Cuthbert drew a walk, but Hare escaped further trouble by retiring Chance Moore on a fly ball.
The lead lasted only moments.
Frankfort answered in the bottom half of the inning after Lanson Orndorf singled and Blake Jacobs reached on an error. Following a sacrifice bunt by Hare, Jesus Perdew delivered an RBI single that brought home Jacobs and tied the game at 1-1.
The Falcons took control two innings later.
Jacobs opened the fifth with a triple to left-center field before Hare followed with a sacrifice fly to center that put Frankfort in front for good. After Cole Shanholtz singled and stole second, Gunnar Bradshaw lined an RBI single to center to extend the lead to 3-1.
Jacobs sparked the offense throughout the night, finishing 2 for 3 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and a walk. Bradshaw added a hit and an RBI, while Perdew drove in the tying run. Frankfort collected nine hits overall.
The Falcons added an insurance run in the sixth.
Braeden Laffey singled before Orndorf was hit by a pitch and Jacobs worked a walk. Hare then delivered an RBI single through the right side to score Orndorf and push the advantage to 4-1.
That was more than enough support for Hare, who retired six of the final seven batters he faced. Independence mounted one final threat in the seventh when Degan Williams doubled with two outs, but Hare induced a game-ending strikeout from Brady Williams to send the Falcons back to the championship game.
The victory keeps Frankfort’s pursuit of another state title alive and continues a remarkable run for a program that has become one of the state’s postseason mainstays. After winning the 2024 Class AA championship and reaching last year’s Class AAA final, the Falcons will now play for a championship for the third straight season.