FRANKLIN – The Franklin baseball team let their bats do the talking all afternoon on Saturday (Apr. 20), with the offense going off in a double-header sweep of Earlham.
 
Franklin (16-13, 7-8 HCAC) punished Earlham (12-16, 4-10 HCAC) pitching for 32 runs and 27 hits, dominating both contests and winning each in seven innings by scores of 14-2 and 18-1.
 
Game One: Franklin 14 – Earlham 2 (7 inn.)
The Grizzlies responded to an Earlham run in the first with 11 runs in their half of the inning to blow the game open. Six different Grizzlies recorded an RBI in the inning with AJ Sanders and Anthony Smith each driving in runs with both of their trips to the plate in the frame.
 
Franklin continued their onslaught in the fourth with three more runs to cap the scoring for the opener.
 
Sanders, Smith and Tysen Lipscomb all finished the game with three RBI with Sanders and Lipscomb turning in matching 3-for-4 outings at the plate.
 
Matthew Johnson (4-2) allowed four hits over five innings, striking out eight batters to earn the victory.
 
Game Two: Franklin 18 – Earlham 1 (7 inn.)
Sanders kicked off game two with an RBI double in the first and Franklin busted the game open with four runs in the second. Lipscomb belted a two-run shot in the fourth to kick off a six-run frame and Franklin put things well out of reach with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, capping the scoring.
 
Sanders drove in three more runs, as did Quentcy Perry. Perry and Lipscomb both scored three times to lead all players.
 
Jackson Young (2-5) turned in six strong innings over his start, giving up one unearned run on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
 
Up Next
The two teams are back at it on Sunday (Apr. 21) afternoon, with game three of the series set to take place at noon.