1-2 punch: College-bound baseball stars lead Franklin into Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals
Nic Abraham is the spirited and boisterous one who will offer the “dugout stare” after a late-inning strikeout to mute any dugout chatter of the opposing squad.
Jordy Lopez, meanwhile, is the very definition of cool and calm in performance and approach. You can’t miss either one of them when they compete for the Franklin Wildcats of the Elk Grove Unified School District because you’ll know they were there and left an imprint. Abraham has the 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame, the smooth, efficient pitching delivery, the hard-to-hit fastball, the rah-rah cheer and remarkable career record.
His partner in baseball excellence is Lopez, the program’s quiet leader, top hitter, ace centerfielder and reliable pitching arm. The seniors differ in personality but are similar in competitive drive, of wanting to repeat as CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champions and in serving as sparkling examples that they can balance baseball and books. They are 3.5 students who take their studies as seriously as a full count in a tie game.
The University of Tennessee-bound Abraham may be the Sacramento region’s top pitcher. He is a major league draft prospect for his considerable upside. He sports a 9-0 record this season with a 0.86 ERA after going 10-0 in 2023. And good luck finding a more versatile, do-all talent than the Cal-bound Lopez. He is batting .470, has nine triples, 39 hits, 41 runs scored, makes all the plays in the outfield and is 7-1 with a 0.37 ERA when he takes the mound.
Franklin coach Bryan Kilby said it’s been a “joy” to coach these anchors as the section playoffs head into the semifinal rounds this week. Franklin and Rocklin start a best-of-three series on Monday at Franklin.
“Nic’s had an unbelievable year and career, and he throws strikes, knows how to pitch and is super competitive,” Kilby said. “Jordy has carried us offensively, has been nails on the mound and is the best all-around player in the area. He’s also super competitive. He’s more reserved than Nic, but on the field, he lets it loose. Those two really balance each other.”
Bat in hands by age 3
Before they became teammates and friends, Abraham and Lopez opposed each other in youth leagues. Lopez got his baseball fix early and Abraham a bit later at 11 years old, and now neither of them can live without the sport, backed by parents who have traveled the country to see their boys play.
“I had a bat in my hand by the time I could walk, or by 3,” Lopez said with a laugh. “My dad (John) wanted me to play. I’m glad he did. I love to play. I try to stay focused, but I’m excited about Cal, thinking, ‘Dang! I’m going to my dream school to get a degree and education and to play ball. I can’t thank my parents enough.”
Abraham shared similar gratitude to his parents, including his father, Scott, who helped teach his son to pitch, how to embrace the moment and how to deal with professional scouts and all manner of great expectations. And like John Lopez watching his son, Scott Abraham has soaked in a dream ride of watching his kid sparkle. The fathers agonize during games, feeling the strike zone, cheering on the Wildcats while insisting their nerves are not frayed.
“I can’t ask for any more, the support, the family, my teammates and coaches,” Nic Abraham said., “I’m blessed. There’s been a lot of hard work. It’s such a great game. You’ve got to have fun with baseball. It is a game, but it is serious, and there’s a fine line.”
Said Lopez, “I can always hear my parents. I love it.”
Campus leaders
Abraham and Lopez don’t just impress their coaches with their approach, leadership and skills. They also have the attention of teachers on campus.
Lopez, of course, greets others with that cool calm while Abraham is everyone’s friend, full of good cheer, high fives and humor. Abraham was voted by campus teachers as Franklin’s winter homecoming king, reflective of a senior who has made a profound impact.
“That tells you what the teachers think of him,” said Kilby, the Wildcats coach who is also the school’s activities director. “We have a foreign exchange student from Ukraine, and Nic made sure he paraded him around campus, introducing him to people. He made sure the kid felt welcomed. That’s Nic.”
Said Abraham: “We should be doing that, helping others. I came from a different school after my freshman year and that was hard enough at first. Mykola came from a different country, has to learn a new language, and he’s doing his best to live life. We all like him. We have an inside joke with him. He likes to say ‘Yip, yip, oooh-rah!’ We say it’s ‘hip, hip hooray!’”
Best 1-2 punch in the section
After home games, it’s common practice for Abraham and the other pitchers to groom and manicure the pitching mound. This is their baby. Abraham will practically lay down on the dirt, might even talk to it, as he meticulously cleans and tidies.
Lopez stands nearby with a hose ready to add some touches, or if the mood strikes, to douse the party.
Abraham exudes confidence on the mound, and his teammates feed off of it. He did not allow a single earned run in the Delta League. He has lost just once in three varsity seasons at Franklin, owner of a 25-1 career mark. Lopez sets a tone as the calculating leadoff man with a mighty bat. Abraham and Lopez are about as potent of a 1-2 punch as there is in the entire section.
As good as Abraham and Lopez are, they are quick to remind that they cannot succeed without the entire team. The defense has been exceptional this season, including on Thursday in a 6-1 home victory over Turlock in a second-round game, one in which Lopez scored two runs and Abraham scattered four hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
The infield consists of shortstop Jason Harris, third baseman Kyle Timmons, second baseman Cole Tobey, first baseman Dylan Minnatee, left fielder Royal McKinney, Lopez in center, Connor Blackburn in right and Jadyn Ramos at catcher.
“I know those guys have my back,” Abraham said. “Can’t do it without them. We have a great defense.”
He added: “I know I want to win so bad. So does Jordy. Some don’t have that drive. We do. We know this is it. This is the final weeks of the season. This is what it comes down to. We can’t wait.”
With that, Abraham returned to mound-grooming duty with Lopez at the ready with the hose.
▪ For baseball playoff brackets, scores and ticket information, visit the Sac-Joaquin Section website.