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Box Score 2 Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team lost a pair of three-run contests to Mount St. Joseph University, falling 6-3 and 9-6 on Saturday in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action from John P. McDowell Field.
MSJ used a pair of three-run innings to win Saturday's opener. Franklin took an early 1-0 lead on a two-out single by sophomore Frank Podkul (Schererville, Ind./Andrean). The base hit scored freshman Tanner Nicholson (Greencastle, Ind./Greencastle), who opened the game with a walk.
The visitors scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. In the sixth inning, Podkul scored on a run-scoring single from junior Jacob Troxell (Lapel, Ind./Lapel). The base hit brought the Grizzlies within one run, 3-2.
The Lions answered with three more runs in the seventh inning to hold a 6-2 advantage. Senior Jason Simpkins (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) drove home Podkul with a single in the eighth inning.
Podkul went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and drove in one run to lead Franklin's 10-hit offensive attack in the opener. Simpkins tallied three hits, while sophomore Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) and senior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) each collected two hits for Franklin.
In the second game, the Grizzlies scored four times in the fifth inning to square the contest at 5-5. MSJ responded by scoring two runs in the sixth inning to regain the lead. Franklin got within 7-6 by pushing a run across in the seventh inning. However, two MSJ runs in the ninth inning secured the victory.
Sophomore Mitch Schuman (St. Leon, Ind./East Central) recorded a two-run single to start the four-run fifth inning. The base hit scored senior Chase Steinbrunner (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) and Simpkins. Freshman Jordan Clark (Connersville, Ind./Connersville) followed with a single to score Kammerer. Schuman later scored on a fielder's choice from Podkul.
Schuman and Simpkins each recorded two hits to lead the team's offensive attack in the second game.
Franklin returns to action on Tuesday, April 19, at 4:13 p.m. when it hosts Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in a single nine-inning HCAC contest from John P. McDowell Field. Live statistics of the game 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).
