Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning, but could not complete the comeback in a 9-5 loss to Thomas More College on Wednesday from John P. McDowell Field.

Thomas More (5-3) jumped out to an 8-1 lead after three innings. The Saints, a 2014 NCAA Division III regional participant, plated two runs in the first inning. The visitors added three runs each in the second and third innings.

Franklin (5-5) got on the scoreboard in the second inning on a single by junior Braden Pelley (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) to score senior Mitch Frey (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo).

Later, a single by senior Tyler Ison (Whiteland, Ind./Whiteland Community) cut the deficit to 8-2 in the fourth inning.

Both teams scored a run in the fifth inning, before the hosts started a late rally.

In the seventh inning, a single by junior Joe Ardizzone (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) plated junior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon). The base hit cut the deficit to 9-4.

One inning later, a bases-loaded walk to Kammerer trimmed the margin to four runs, 9-5, and brought the tying run to the plate. However, Thomas More's relief pitcher got a line out to the second baseman to end the threat.

Frey led Franklin's nine-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Ardizzone collected two hits and drove in two runs on the afternoon. Kammerer, Ison, and Pelley each recorded one hit.

Franklin returns to action when it opens Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play at Bluffton University on Friday, March 20 at 4:15 p.m. Live statistics of the three-game series will be available.