Franklin, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team scored 13 runs in the fourth inning to win the opener 21-18 of a windy Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader against Earlham College on Saturday from John P. McDowell Field. The Quakers won the second game 11-5 to earn a split of the doubleheader.

The teams played with steady winds between 25-35 miles per hour blowing out to center field throughout the afternoon. Winds gusted up to 60 miles per hour at times.

The Grizzlies hit back-to-back home runs during a six-run third inning to tie the first contest. Freshman Jordan Clark (Connersville, Ind./Connersville) hit a two-run home run to jumpstart the offense. Sophomore Frank Podkul (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) followed with a home run. A double from junior Jacob Troxell (Lapel, Ind./Lapel) scored senior Joe Ardizzone (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) cut the deficit to 6-4. Troxell and sophomore Mitch Schuman (St. Leon, Ind./East Central) later scored in the inning to tie the contest.

Earlham regained the lead, 7-6, after two throwing errors on the same play allowed the leadoff batter of the fourth inning to score.

Then, came the 13-run fourth inning for Franklin. The team's first eight batters reached safely capped by a three-run home run by junior Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield). The team's third home run of the game put the Grizzlies ahead 13-7. After a groundout the next four Franklin batters reached safely to extend the margin to 16-7. Freed later in the inning had a double to score Troxell to cap the scoring in the fourth inning and give Franklin a 19-7 lead.

Podkul hit a two-run double and scored two runs in the fourth inning. Freshman Mitchell Moore (Seymour, Ind./Seymour), Clark, and Troxell also scored twice during the frame.

Earlham mounted a rally with seven straight runs from the sixth through eighth innings to get within 20-16. The Quakers brought the tying run to the on deck circle in the eighth inning before a lineout ended the team's threat.

Freed gave Franklin a 21-16 lead on a single to score Podkul in the eighth inning.

Earlham received two hits and consecutive walks to score two runs and bring the potential game-tying run to the plate with one out. Clark got a sacrifice fly and a strikeout to secure the victory.

The two teams combined for 39 runs and 43 hits, including 23 hits for the Grizzlies. A total of five home runs were hit between the two teams in the contest.

Freed went 4-for-6 with five runs batted in (RBI) to lead the hitting attack. Schuman collected four hits and scored two runs. Clark was 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored. Podkul scored four runs and tallied three hits in the victory. Troxell added three hits and three runs scored.

In the second game, Franklin took a 4-2 lead behind a three-run second inning. Podkul provided the big hit of the frame with a bases-clearing double. The base hit scored senior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon), freshman Tanner Nicholson (Greencastle, Ind./Greencastle), and Moore.

Earlham scored three times in the fourth inning to take a 5-4 lead. Clark followed with a solo home run in the bottom half of the frame to square the contest. The Quakers received a leadoff home run from Brennan Laird in the fifth inning to regain the lead, 6-5. The team pushed four runs across in the sixth inning to take a 10-5 advantage. Earlham scored in fourth consecutive innings during the middle of the contest.

Franklin returns to action on Tuesday, April 5, at 4 p.m. when it travels to Hanover College. 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).