CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Franklin baseball team hit the road for two games on Monday (Mar. 24) afternoon against the Mount St. Joseph Lions.
The Grizzlies (10-7, 2-2 HCAC) dropped a pair of high-scoring matchups with the Lions (13-4, 4-0 HCAC), falling by scores of 16-15 and 11-7.
Game One: Mt. St. Joseph 16 – Franklin 15
In an eight-run hole after two innings, Franklin charged back into the game with a seven-run third frame.
Andrew Wallace had the big blast of the inning, crushing a grand slam and
Ian Nuckles went deep for the first time in his Franklin career one batter later.
Dyllan Redmon and
Colin Goley each added an RBI double in the inning.
Nuckles tied the game at nine in the fourth with a two-run single and the Grizzlies would take their first lead of the day with a three-run eighth to make it 14-13 lead. After a two-run eighth put the Lions back in front, Nuckles tied the game again with a sac fly in the ninth, but the Lions came away with a win in their final at-bat of the game.
Nuckles went 3-for-5 with a career-high five RBI while Wallace,
Garrett DeHart and
Daniel Cross each had two hits. DeHart led the offense with three runs scored, one of six Grizzlies to score multiple runs in the game.
Luke Harmon went 5.1 innings where he allowed five earned runs with four strikeouts.
Brayton Belcher,
Will Butts and
Mason Campbell (0-1) all came into the game in relief.
Game Two: Mt. St. Joseph 11 – Franklin 7
Nuckles continued to torch Lion pitching in game two, getting the Grizzlies on the board with a two-run double in the first. Redmon put the Grizzlies up 3-2 with an RBI single in the second, but the Lions took command of the game with a four-run second inning. The Mount added two more in the fourth and one in the fifth to stretch the lead to 10-4.
Josh Girvan, DeHart and
Nic Deering all knocked in runs to get the Griz within four at 11-7 with two innings to play. But the rally ended there as the Lions closed out the win.
Nuckles and Girvan each went 2-for-4 at the plate with Girvan scoring a pair of runs.
Brayden Marrow (0-1) got the start and tossed two innings.
Jordan DeAtley,
Michael Carter,
Aidan Ray and
Damian Tillie all logged time on the mound in relief.
Up Next
Franklin continues their six-game road trip on Saturday (Mar. 29) afternoon, traveling back to Ohio to open a three-game set with the Bluffton Beavers. First pitch is set for noon.