Swing and a drive, to deep right field! Bay’s Matt Francati knocks out a dinger in the second annual SportsTime Ohio Home Run Derby at Jacobs Field. (West Life photos by Larry Bennet)

Francati has fun at Jacobs Field
By Matt Pawlikowski
Sports
Published June 27, 2007

When it came down to who was the best hitter at the second annual Sport Time Ohio Home Run Derby at Jacobs Field last week, Cuyahoga County was bested, as two of Medina County’s best, Medina Highland senior Ben Klafczynski and Medina junior Ron Stout, were the best of the show.

Still, for one local standout, Matt Francati of Bay Village, the event couldn’t have been a more memorable experience.

“It was great,” Francati said after his final round, where he hit his only dinger of the day. “I got one, and hopefully next year, I’ll get to get more than one.”

Bay’s Matt Francati takes in the surreal atmosphere of playing in a big league stadium.

Admittedly, Francati said he was a little nervous in the major league atmosphere. Players not only batted on the field, but also used the Indians dugout.

“I thought I’d just line them out of here,” he said with a huge smile. “But it got to you mentally. I didn’t think the field would be this nice either.”

The field of 10 players included Villa Angela-St. Joseph senior Robert Maddox, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves along with a number of other players who will be playing NCAA Division I ball.

“I found out three weeks ago that I would be in the field,” said Francati. “I was happy and excited, knowing I would be going against others who were going to college on scholarship, and some who will play major league baseball someday.”

Criteria for selecting players for the derby were based on input from other coaches, along with regular-season statistics.

Although just a junior, Francati’s were impressive. On the year for Bay he batted a stellar .485, clocked seven homers and had a school record 42 RBIs. He also set a new school record for most hits in a season with 47.

What’s interesting though, is the fact Francati is even better as a pitcher. In 42.2 innings, he posted a 2.46 earned run average, and had 49 strikeouts, to go with his three wins.

“I’m better as a pitcher,” he said with a laugh. “But I was hoping I’d make it here. I have a tournament at Eastern Michigan University today, so I’m missing my first game, but this is worth it.”

Francati credited his coach Joe Cheney, who also pitched to him during the Derby, for his success on the field.

“He’s been with me for three years,” said Francati. “He’s helped me a lot and brought my game along and has told me I could always play.”

One of the more impressive shots of the day occurred in the second round of finals, when Hoban’s Conner Burns stepped to the plate. With a loud “ping” of his bat, a sound that echoed throughout Jacobs Field, he clobbered a Jim Thome-like ball 430 feet into the leftfield bleachers. It proved to be the longest shot of the day.

A spokesperson for SportsTime Ohio said no time has been slotted yet for the tourney to be aired, but they expect it to be televised sometime in August.

On the Net:

• SportsTime Ohio