Box Score Pelley Video
Frey Video
Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team tallied a season-high 20 hits and scored multiple runs in five innings during a 15-6 series-opening victory over Transylvania University on Friday in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action from John P. McDowell Field.
Franklin (14-15, 7-9 HCAC) connected on two home runs and all nine players recorded one hit in the victory.
The hosts jumped out to an early lead by scoring three runs in the first inning. Sophomore Jacob Troxell (Lapel, Ind./Lapel) singled to score senior Jameson Brock (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) for the first run. Freshman Mitch Schuman (Sunman, Ind./East Central) drove in two runs with a double later in the first inning.
After Transylvania cut the lead to 3-1 in the third inning, the Grizzlies quickly responded on a two-run home run by Schuman. The blast was his first collegiate home run and gave Franklin a 5-1 lead in the third inning. The designated hitter went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in and scored two runs in the victory.
In the fourth inning, senior Mitch Frey (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) connected on his first collegiate home run. Later, junior Braden Pelley (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) singled home Brock for the second run of the frame. Pelley tallied three hits and drove in three runs in the game.
Franklin broke the game open behind a five-run fifth inning – the team's fourth multiple-run inning of the contest. A run-scoring single by Frey scored junior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon). Troxell followed with a single to plate junior Chase Steinbrunner (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli). Pelley hit a two-run single and Schuman also added a run-scoring single later in the frame.
Leading 12-5, Franklin scored three times in the seventh inning to secure the victory. A wild pitch allowed Brock to cross home plate for the fourth time in the game. Freshman Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) scored two runs with a single.
Senior Seth Powers (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central) won his third consecutive start, striking out seven batters in six innings. The right hander recorded his 200th career strikeout in the game. Sophomore Jacob McMain (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) recorded three strikeouts in tossing the final three innings.
The two teams close out the HCAC series with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 18 at noon. Live video and statistics (Saturday Game 1 / Saturday Game 2) of both games will be available.
