GREENCASTLE, Ind. – The Franklin softball team hit the road for two games on Thursday afternoon, taking on a DePauw team receiving votes in the most recent top-25 poll.
The Grizzlies (5-2) collected two huge extra-inning wins against the Tigers (6-6), taking game one in eight innings by a 5-3 score and rallying in the final two innings to take an 11-8 win in game two in eight innings.
Game One: Franklin 5 – DePauw 3 (8 inn.)
Facing a one-run deficit with just six out to work with, Franklin rallied with a six-run sixth inning to take their first lead of the day. After an error brought the first run in,
Molly Wallace drove in a run with a sac fly and
Kendall Lowry singled home another run later in the inning.
The Tigers would answer with solo home runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but DePauw left the winning run in scoring position to close out the seventh.
Wallace came through with a clutch two-run single in the top of the eighth and
Lauren Duncan made the lead stick by setting the Tigers down in order to close the game.
Duncan (3-1) went the distance to earn the win, scattering nine hits and walking two with one strikeout. Wallace, Lowry and
Hadley Fuhrman accounted for all six of Franklin's hits, with each reaching base twice.
Game Two: Franklin 11 – DePauw 8 (8 inn.)
Both offenses waited until late in the game to come alive, with Franklin striking first thanks to
Olivia Staigl's first career home run in the top of the fifth to make it 1-0 Griz. The Tigers plated three in the bottom of the inning, but
Eriana Wagner brought the Grizzlies even with a three-run blast in the sixth, her first round-tripper of the season.
DePauw countered with three more in the bottom of the sixth, putting the Grizzlies in trouble with three outs to work with. Wagner cut into the lead with a one-out RBI double and
Zoey Kugelman got the Griz within a run a batter later with a sac fly. Down to their last out,
Karrsen Pruitt got the Grizzlies even with a single down the right field line, scoring Wagner.
Extra innings saw Franklin plate four runs, with three coming courtesy of DePauw defensive miscues and one from a Wallace RBI single. The Tigers got one run in the eighth but Franklin closed out the game by turning a 1-6-3 double play.
Kylie Kadel (1-0) earned the win in the circle, working the final three innings in relief of Kugelman. Wagner went 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored to pace the offense, with Wallace and Pruitt both gong 2-for-5.
McKenna Lucas scored three times for the Grizzlies on the night.
Up Next
Franklin heads to Illinois on Saturday (Mar. 22) for two games against the Aurora Spartans. First pitch of game one is set for 2:00 p.m. eastern time.
