HANOVER, Ind. – The Franklin softball team got the final week of the regular season off to a strong start, sweeping a Wednesday (May 3) afternoon double header with the Hanover Panthers.
Franklin (25-11, 8-4 HCAC) rolled to a pair of mercy rule wins, taking the opener from the Panthers (15-23, 7-9 HCAC) 10-6 in six innings and game two by an 11-2 count in five innings.
Game One: Franklin 10 – Hanover 0 (6 inn.)
The two teams battled in a scoreless draw until the top of the fifth when the middle of Franklin's lineup broke the deadlock. Three straight two-out RBI singles from
Annie Kluemper,
Sydney Bostic and
Genesis Munoz broke the game open and one inning later, the Grizzlies blew the game wide open with seven runs.
Eriana Wagner led off the inning with a home run to start the scoring and added an RBI single later in the inning to cap the scoring. Franklin got RBIs from
Sydney Rodeghier, Kluemper, Bostic and Munoz in between and the Panthers went down quietly in the bottom of the inning to close out the opener.
Bostic went 3-for-4 to lead a Franklin offense that had five players in total record multiple hits.
Sydney Pitts (9-7) needed just 43 pitches to get through six innings, scattering five hits and not walking a batter to earn the shutout.
Game Two: Franklin 11 – Hanover 2 (5 inn.)
Down by a run after an inning, the Franklin bats got to work in the top of the second with a two-run shot from
Molly Wallace and a two-run single from Rodeghier that made it 4-1. Franklin used the long ball to add to their lead in the third with both Munoz and Wagner hitting two-run shots to make it an 8-2 game. Franklin loaded the bags with two outs in the fifth and Kluemper dealt the Panthers the final blow with a bases-clearing double to cap the scoring.
Munoz went 3-for-3 in the game and Wallace had two hits one spot behind her in the lineup.
Stephanni Kleber (13-4) got the start and allowed five hits with three strikeouts in a complete game effort.
Up Next
The Grizzlies will play on their home field for the final time this year on Saturday (May 6), hosting the Manchester Spartans for Senior Day at Behrens Field. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
