DANVILLE, Ky. – The Franklin College softball team opened the 2021 season on Saturday (Feb. 27) afternoon, taking on the Centre Colonels in a pair of contests.

Franklin (2-0) started off the Angie Bain Era in impressive fashion, sweeping the Colonels (0-3) with two impressive outings. The opener saw senior pitcher Alisha Burch set a new career-high with seven strikeouts in a 5-1 win. Game two saw Franklin bust out the lumber for 15 hits in a 14-0 game that was called after five innings.

Game One: Franklin 5 – Centre 1
The Grizzlies made Centre pay for a pair of two-out errors in the second, turning those mistakes into three runs and the early lead. Freshman Annie Kluemper added to the lead with an RBI single in the fourth with her first career hit. One inning later, the Grizzlies capped their scoring output with an RBI ground out from Samantha Cain.

That proved to be plenty of support for Burch, who was dialed in from the opening pitch. The senior scattered three hits and allowed just one run with one walk and seven punch-outs, needing just 79 pitches to record her 13th career complete game.

Game Two: Franklin 14 – Centre 0 (5 inn.)
A pair of two-out RBI doubles from Abby Hickson and Cain in the top of the first gave Franklin an early 3-0 lead and set the tone for a game two rout. The Grizzlies would go on to add four more in the second, five in the third and two in the fifth in a runaway victory.

Both Hickson and Cain went 3-for-4 with four RBI in game two while senior catcher Natalie Weber went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a three-run home run in the top of the third. Kluemper knocked in a pair with a couple of hits to close out a successful career-opening day.

Freshman hurler Delanie Gourley had more than enough run support but still pitched brilliantly in her first career start. The Whiteland, Ind.-native allowed three hits and one walk with three strikeouts, needing just 47 pitches to get through the day.

The Grizzlies are off for a week before opening up the home schedule on Saturday, Mar. 6 with two games at Behrens Field against Alma College. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.