FRANKLIN, Ind. – An important stretch of games for the Franklin College baseball team got underway on Saturday (Apr. 17) afternoon with a conference double-header against the Rose-Hulman Engineers.

Game one was played at a lightning pace with both pitching staffs controlling the action. But a three-run fifth proved to be the deciding factor as the Grizzlies (14-6) dropped the opener to the Engineers (11-9) 4-3. Game two featured the customary offensive fireworks from both teams with the Grizzlies taking a 12-10 win to pick up the split.

Game One: Rose-Hulman 4 – Franklin 3
Runs proved to be at a premium in the opener, but it was the Grizzlies that broke through first with a two-run third inning. Ryan Bixler opened the scoring with a run-scoring single and came in to score on the next play when a throwing error allowed him to hustle home all the way from first for a 2-0 Grizzly lead.

The lead held until the top of the fifth when a three-run triple put the Engineers in front. Rose added their fourth run in the eighth inning but Jacob Heuchan got that run right back with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning. Franklin loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth but the Engineers wiggled out of the jam to seal the win.

Mitch Merica (3-1) allowed three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over six innings of work. Alex Reinoehl allowed three hits over three innings of work in relief.

Game Two: Franklin 12 – Rose-Hulman 10
The Grizzlies wasted no time taking the lead in game two, plating five first inning runs. Bixler and Heuchan each knocked in runs with a single and Tysen Lipscomb swatted a three-run homer over the left field wall, the first career round-tripper for the sophomore catcher. Lipscomb brought home another run in the second with a single a Jake Bryant RBI single in the third gave FC a 7-5 lead. 

Bixler stretched Franklin's lead to 10-6 in the bottom of the fifth, belting a three-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark. But the Engineers showed their resolve with a four-run sixth and the teams headed into the final three innings locked in a 10-10 tie.

The game's deciding hit came off Heuchan's bat in the bottom of the seventh, with the Franklin-native bringing home two runs with a bases-loaded single. The Engineers would bring the tying run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but back-to-back ground outs ended the rally.

Jackson Young (2-0) was brilliant in relief, allowing just one free pass over the final 3.1 innings. Bixler was 4-for-6 with four RBI and four runs scored, Heuchan went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Lipscomb finished with four RBI.

Up Next
The Grizzlies are on the road for two games on Sunday (Apr. 18) against the Anderson Ravens. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.