Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team improved to 8-2 on the season after recording 6-0 and 8-1 victories over Albion College on Saturday at John P. McDowell Field. The Grizzlies completed a three-game series sweep.

Senior Chris Hoopingarner (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) struck out a career-high nine batters and scattered five hits in eight scoreless innings in the opener. The left hander improved to 3-0 on the season and lowered his ERA to 0.78.

Franklin scored three runs in the second inning to grab an early 3-0 advantage. The hosts added one run in the fifth and finished the scoring by plating two insurance runs in the sixth inning.

Junior Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) had a two-out, two-run single in the second inning. A balk allowed the third run to score in the inning.

Sophomore Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) plated senior Scott Windler (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Central Catholic) with a double in the fifth inning. One inning later, Windler drove in two runs with a single to give Franklin a 6-0 lead.

Junior Jacob Burns (Avon, Ind./Avon) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to secure the team's second shutout of the season.

In the day's second contest, the Grizzlies scored four times in the first inning without the benefit of a hit. The first six batters all reached successfully after drawing a walk.

Kammerer plated Windler with a run-scoring single in the second inning to give Franklin a 5-0 advantage. The team also scored a run in the fourth inning and scored two runs in the sixth inning.

Sophomore Hayden Cleveland (Brownsburg, Ind./Cardinal Ritter) tossed his third complete game of the season, striking out seven batters and allowing one run. He improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory.

Individually, Windler paced the offensive attack going 3-for-4 with five runs batted in and four runs scored in both contests. Kammerer went 4-for-6 with four RBI on the afternoon. Freshman Damon DeJesus (Fort Wayne, Ind./Blackhawk Christian) had a multiple-hit effort in the opener.

Franklin returns to action on Saturday, March 15 at noon when it travels to Adrian College (Mich.) for a doubleheader.