Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team lost a hard-fought 5-4 contest to Transylvania University to open Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play on Friday from John P. McDowell Field.

Transylvania (6-8, 2-0 HCAC) scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning and got a ground ball with the bases loaded to end the contest.

Leading 4-3 going into the ninth inning, Transylvania got a leadoff double from Taylor Henley. He later scored on a balk to square the contest at 4-4. Kody Ross followed with a double. A wild pitch allowed Ross to score to give the Pioneers a 5-4 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Grizzlies (5-9, 0-1 HCAC) mounted a rally with two outs. A walk to junior Jacob Troxell (Lapel, Ind./Lapel) was followed by senior Braden Pelley (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) getting hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved Troxell and freshman pinch runner Nick Brems (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) to advance into scoring position. A walk to sophomore Frank Podkul (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) loaded the bases. However, Transylvania reliever Tom Banahan got a ground ball to secure the victory.

Franklin took a 2-1 lead in the third inning after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) scored freshman Jordan Clark (Connersville, Ind./Connersville).

The Grizzlies broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning when a throwing error allowed Podkul to score. The hosts maintained the one-run advantage until the eighth inning when the Pioneers got a bases-loaded double play to square the contest.

Franklin regained the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the eighth inning on a single by senior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) scored sophomore Mitch Schuman (St. Leon, Ind./East Central).

Senior left-handed starting pitcher Hayden Cleveland (Brownsburg, Ind./Cardinal Ritter) allowed five hits and struck out five batters in eight innings.

Offensively, Clark tallied two hits and scored one run. Six different players added one hit for the Grizzlies.

Franklin returns to action on Saturday, March 26, at noon when the two teams conclude the three-game weekend series with a doubleheader. Live statistics of both games will be available. In-game updates will also be available on Twitter (@FCAthletics). Like the Grizzlies on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinCollegeAthletics), and on Instagram (@fcgrizzlies).