WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Franklin baseball team wrapped up its season-opening four-game Florida trip on Tuesday (Feb. 25) morning, taking on the Capital Crusaders.

Senior Jarrod Smith collected three hits and five different Grizzlies (2-2) knocked in runs. But a slow start proved costly as Capital (5-0) jumped out to a big lead early to take a 16-5 win.

Capital pounced early with a seven-run second that proved too big of a hole to dig out of. Franklin wouldn't get on the board until the bottom of the fifth when Quenton Wellington knocked home Jackson Young with a single. Nick Wright and Alex Mis followed with RBI of their own later in the inning.

Franklin capped their scoring in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI triple from Smith and Logan Demkovich's sacrifice fly that brought Smith in from third.

Jacob Heuchan (0-1) got the start for the Grizzlies, allowing four hits and striking out one over 1 2/3 innings. Nick McClanahan, Bret Sawyer, Tyler Wick and Trevor Spilker combined to toss the final 5 1/3 innings of play.

The Grizzlies will be back in action on Friday (Feb. 28), when they face Baldwin Wallace at Grand Park in nearby Westfield, Ind. for the first of three games at the Crossroads Crossover. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.