North Manchester, Ind. - The Franklin College softball team earned a key doubleheader sweep at Manchester University, winning 7-1 and 11-3 on Saturday in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action.

The sweep improves to the Grizzlies to 5-5 in league play and into a third-place tie with the Spartans. Franklin is also tied with Hanover College, who it swept in late March. Overall, the team stands 18-10 on the season.

The visitors used a four-run fourth inning to break open the contest. Leading 2-1, freshman Monica Collins (Whiteland, Ind./Whiteland Community) scored on a wild pitch to start the scoring in the frame. Junior Baylea Suiters (Indianapolis, Ind./Lutheran) gave Franklin a 4-1 lead with a run-scoring single to plate junior Megan Lalioff (Fishers, Ind./Fishers). Following a single and a walk, the Grizzlies scored two runs after sophomore Grace Paszek (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) put a ball in play. Senior Katie Struewing (Greenwood, Ind./Greenwood) and Suiters each scored on the play to put Franklin ahead 6-1.

Paszek later added a run-scoring single in the sixth inning to increase Franklin's lead to six runs, 7-1.

Manchester took a 1-0 lead after pushing a run across in the first inning. The Grizzlies answered in the second inning on a single by Lalioff to score freshman Taylor Bounin (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville). Franklin took the lead on a solo home run from junior Savannah Blevins (Wilkingon, Ind./Eastern Hancock) to lead off the third inning.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Olivia Paszek (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) recorded nine strikeouts and scatted five hits in the complete-game victory.

Blevins led Franklin's 14-hit offensive attack by going 3-for-3. Suiters also collected three hits, while Lalioff added two hits in the victory. Struewing tallied two hits and scored two runs. Grace Paszek drove in two runs from the middle of the batting lineup.

In the second game, Franklin took a 4-0 lead behind a three-run second inning. A two-run single from Lalioff highlighted the scoring in the second inning.

In the third inning, sophomore Morgan Burch (Coatesville, Ind./Cascade) scored on a single by Bounin to give the Grizzlies a 5-2 advantage. The team secured the victory with a four-run seventh inning to push the margin to nine runs, 11-2. The Spartans scored one run in the seventh inning to cap the scoring in the contest.

Struewing led Franklin by scoring three runs and going 4-for-4 at the plate. The Grizzlies tallied 16 hits in the second game. Junior Taylor Johnson (Beech Grove, Ind./Beech Grove), Bounin, Lalioff, and Grace Paszek each collected two hits.

The offense was enough for senior Bri McClellan (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) as the right-handed pitcher allowed two earned runs in seven innings. She allowed seven hits while improving to 5-2 on the season.

Franklin returns to action on Sunday, April 17, at 1 p.m. when it hosts Wilmington College during the program's Senior Day at Behrens Field. Live video and 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).