LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Franklin baseball team dug in deep to earn a critical sweep of the Transylvania Pioneers on Sunday (Mar. 26) afternoon, taking the opening series of conference play.
 
The Grizzlies (11-6, 2-1 HCAC) battled to win a 6-4 thriller in 11 innings in the opener. Game two was all Grizzlies from the start, as they pounced on Pioneer (8-11, 1-2 HCAC) pitching early for a 14-7 win.
 
Game One: Franklin 6 – Transylvania 4 (11 inn.)
Noah Wood opened up what would be a massive first game for him with a two-run home run in the second inning to give Franklin the early lead.  Sean Sullivan added to the lead in the third with a solo home run but the Pioneers got that run back with a lead-off homer in the fifth to make it 3-1.
 
Adam Taylor restored a three-run lead in the sixth with an RBI single but the Pioneers battled back with a run in the seventh and two runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to send the contest to extras. A scoreless 10^th led to the 11^th where Wood roped a one-out double into the left center field gap, scoring Matt Earley. Anthony Smith doubled the lead one batter later with a single and the lead held up with a bottom of the inning.
 
Wood was a menace at the plate, going 5-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. Earley scored two runs in the game batting in front of Wood.
 
Matthew Johnson got the start and allowed two runs over seven innings of work. Maddox Manes (3-0) picked up the win, striking out four over the final four innings in relief.
 
Game Two: Franklin 14 – Transylvania 7
A new threat at the plate for Franklin emerged in the first inning, as Tysen Lipscomb clubbed a two-run home run to start a monstrous second game at the dish. AJ Sanders added to the lead with an RBI single in the second but the Pioneers answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie things up.
 
Lipscomb put the Grizzlies ahead for good in the fourth, smacking a three-run home run down the right field line. The top of the sixth saw Wood draw a bases loaded walk and Smith driving in two with a single to make it 9-3 and the seventh produced three more Franklin runs with Sanders doubling a run in a Earley bringing in two with a single. Lipscomb capped the scoring in the ninth, driving home a run with a single and scoring later on a wild pitch.
 
Lipscomb finished 4-for-4 with four runs scored and six RBI. Jonathan LaGuire went 2-for-3 with three runs scored while Sanders and Sullivan both scored three times each.
 
Jackson Young (3-0) was brilliant over seven innings of work, allowing two earned runs and striking out a career-high 10 batters.
 
Franklin hits the road on Wednesday (Mar. 29) for a non-conference matchup with Millikin University. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.