Bluffton, Ohio - The Franklin College baseball team lost its Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener 6-2 at Bluffton University on Friday afternoon.

Senior Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) tallied three hits to lead the offensive attack. He legged out a pair of doubles and drove in one run.

Franklin got on the scoreboard to tie the game at 1-1 in the third inning on a double by Brock. The play scored junior Jason Simpkins (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli), who opened the inning with a single.

Bluffton regained the lead, 3-1, by plating two runs in the third inning.

Later, a sacrifice from senior Tyler Ison (Whiteland, Ind./Whiteland Community) trimmed the deficit to one run, 3-2, in the sixth inning.

However, the Beavers answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to increase the lead to 5-2. The hosts capped the scoring with a run in the eighth inning.

The Grizzlies attempted a rally in the ninth inning and brought the game-tying run to the on-deck circle. Freshman Mitch Schuman (Sunman, Ind./East Central) drew a two-out walk. Brock followed with his second double of the contest. A strikeout ended the threat.

The two teams will wrap up the three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21, starting at noon. Live statistics of both games will be available HERE.