Cincinnati, Ohio - The Franklin College baseball team scored eight runs in the fourth inning and recorded its third shutout of the season in defeating the College of Mount St. Joseph 9-0 to open Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play on Friday from Marge Schott Stadium at University of Cincinnati.

Franklin (10-4, 1-0 HCAC) got six hits in the eight-run fourth inning – the highest scoring inning of the season.

Following a one-out double from senior Scott Windler (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Central Catholic), the Grizzlies would score the first run of the game on an error by MSJ. Back-to-back run-scoring singles by sophomore Braden Pelley (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) and senior Rickey DuBois (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn) pushed the lead to 3-0. Later, a wild pitch would allow Pelley to score the fourth run of the frame.

The big hit in the inning came on a bases-clearing triple from junior Mitch Frey (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo). The hit gave Franklin a 7-0 lead. Frey would cap the scoring in the inning when he scored on a wild pitch.

That was all the offense that senior Chris Hoopingarner (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) would need as the left hander tossed seven scoreless innings. He improved to 4-1 on the season and struck out six batters.

Junior Jacob Burns (Avon, Ind./Avon) and senior Hal Enkoff (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief to preserve the shutout.

Individually, Pelley and Windler each had two hits to lead the team's 10-hit attack. Windler connected on his fourth home run of the season with a solo homer in the sixth inning.

Junior Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville), sophomore Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon), freshmen Damon DeJesus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Blackhawk Christian) and Cody Shipley (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) joined DuBois and Frey in each recording a hit.

Franklin returns to action on Saturday, March 22 at noon for a doubleheader against MSJ from Marge Schott Stadium in Cincinnati. Live statistics of both games will be available here. In-game updates will also be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics).