CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Franklin College softball team kicked off a busy run-in to the end of the regular season on Saturday (Apr. 12) with two conference matchups with the Mount St. Joseph Lions.
 
The Grizzlies (10-7, 0-4 HCAC) dropped both contests to the Lions (16-6, 2-0 HCAC), falling 8-2 in the opener and 3-1 in the night cap.
 
Game One: Mount St. Joseph 8 – Franklin 2
Franklin jumped on the board in the first inning with Kaylee Stewart scoring on a passed ball and the Grizzlies added to their lead in the second when Ruth Kaiser clubbed a solo home run, the first round-tripper of her career for a 2-0 lead.
 
But that was all the offense the Grizzlies would generate in the opener, as the Lions tied the game with two in the third and pulled away with a six-run sixth inning.
 
Kaiser and Eriana Wagner each went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the offense, but Franklin would leave nine runners on base in the opener.
 
Lauren Duncan (5-4) tossed 5.2 innings as the game one starter, walking two and striking out one.
 
Game Two: Mount St. Joseph 3 – Franklin 1
Kendall Lowry opened the scoring in game two, singling home Eriana Wagner in the top of the third inning to put the Grizzlies in front. But the Grizzlies left the bags full after Lowry's single and managed just one base-runner over the final four innings. Meanwhile, the Lions pounced for one run in the third, fourth and sixth innings to take control.
 
Wagner went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot with seven different members of the starting lineup recording a hit in the game. Zoey Kugelman (3-3) pitched well in a complete game effort, giving up two earned runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
 
Up Next
The Grizzlies are back at it for two more league games on Sunday (Apr. 13) afternoon, as they host the Manchester Spartans. First pitch of game one from Behrens Field is set for 1:00 p.m.