North Manchester, Ind. - Freshman Drew Naumovich (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) tied a single-game school record with six hits as the Franklin College baseball team picked up an 18-8 series-opening win against Manchester University on Friday in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

The 18 runs are the second most runs the Grizzlies have scored in a game this season.

Six players recorded multiple-hit performances and three players tallied three or more runs batted in (RBI).

Naumovich went 6-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored. The six hits tied Jesse Wilson's school record set during the 2012 season.

Franklin scored four runs in the first inning to take an early lead. A single from senior Joe Ardizzone (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) started the scoring with a single. Sophomore Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) followed with a run-scoring double. Naumovich drove home Ardizzone with a single. Senior Jason Simpkins (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) hit a sacrifice fly to round out the first inning scoring.

In the third inning, Naumovich hit a single to score Ardizzone to give the visitors a 5-0 lead. Ardizzone connected on his first home run of the season in the fifth inning to push the margin to 6-0.

Senior Drew Kammerer (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to give Franklin an 8-0 advantage.

Manchester hit two home runs in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 8-5.

However, the Grizzlies pushed nine runs across to seal the victory in the ninth inning. Franklin recorded six consecutive hits to open the frame. Kammerer and Ardizzone each hit a two-run double to highlight the ninth inning.

Kammerer tallied three hits and drove in six runs. Ardizzone went 4-for-6 with four RBI and scored four runs. Freshman Mitchell Moore (Seymour, Ind./Seymour) collected three hits. Freed and Simpkins rounded out the multiple-hit performances each with two hits.

Franklin is scheduled to conclude the three-game series on Saturday, May 7 at noon.