North Manchester, Ind. - The Franklin College baseball team closed out its 2016 season by winning two of its three games at Manchester University in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

The two teams split a Saturday doubleheader with the Grizzlies winning the first game 6-1. Manchester won the second game by a 9-8 score in 10 innings. Franklin took Friday's series opener 18-8 in the final conference weekend series.

In Saturday's first game, junior Jacob McMain (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) scattered seven hits in the complete-game pitching victory. The right-handed pitcher allowed his only run of the game in the eighth inning.

Franklin took a 2-0 lead behind a two-run third inning. Freshman Jordan Clark (Connersville, Ind./Connersville) connected on a double to score freshman Tanner Nicholson (Greencastle, Ind./Greencastle) for the first run of the game. Clark later scored on a single from senior Joe Ardizzone (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli).

The score remained 2-0 until senior Jason Simpkins (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) hit a two-run single in the eighth inning. The base hit scored sophomore Frank Podkul (Schererville, Ind./Andrean) and Ardizzone.

After Manchester pushed across a run in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 4-1, Podkul connected on a two-run home run in the ninth inning to seal the victory.

Podkul went 3-for-3 with two run scored to lead Franklin's 11-hit offensive attack. Ardizzone and Clark each tallied two hits for the Grizzlies.

In the second game, Franklin tied the contest at 7-7 with a two-out single by freshman Drew Naumovich (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli). The Grizzlies took an 8-7 lead in the 10th inning following a single from sophomore Jackson Freed (Westfield, Ind./Westfield).

However, Manchester scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the contest. The Spartans got a leadoff home run and a walk-off single in the frame.

Franklin held a 4-0 lead after a three-run fourth inning. Manchester scored three runs in the sixth inning to take its first lead of the series, 7-6.

Naumovich led Franklin with three hits and two runs batted in. Ardizzone, Clark, Nicholson, and Simpkins each recorded two hits in the contest.

Saturday concluded the 2016 season for the Grizzlies as the team's road contest at Hanover College set for Sunday, May 8 has been cancelled.