HANOVER, Ind. – The Franklin softball team traveled to Hanover, Ind. to face off against the Panthers of Hanover College on Wednesday (Apr. 30) afternoon at Kops-Bedel Stadium.
The Grizzlies (20-9, 10-6 HCAC) turned in a split performance with the Panthers (11-19, 7-9 HCAC), winning game one 7-2 and dropping game two 4-6. With the win in game one, Franklin earns themselves a 20-win season for the fifth year in a row.
Game One: Franklin 7 – Hanover 2
Scoring started with
Zoey Kugelman flying out to center field for a SAC, allowing
Alyssa Pasch to score from third to tie the game 1-1.
McKenna Lucas would single out to right field to advance
Molly Wallace and
Eriana Wagner to home. Grizzlies defense would hold strong in the bottom of the fourth to maintain a 3-1 lead going into the fifth.
Franklin got some insurance in their half of the fifth, with
Olivia Staigl driving out to right field, allowing Kugelman to score off a SAC fly. Another SAC from Wallace brought in
Kaylee Stewart through home, extending Franklin's lead to 5-1. Wallace would drive in Wagner and Stewart in the top of the seventh to push the lead to 7-1. The Panthers would add one more run to make it 7-2 before grounding it to first base for the third out.
Kugelman (6-7) gets the win on the day allowing one run off three hits, while
Kylie Kadel also allowed one run off three hits. Wagner brought some heat with the bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored to lead the offense.
Game Two: Franklin 4 – Hanover 6
The Grizzlies got on the board first, Wagner SAC flying to bring in
Hadley Fuhrman. Zugelman would reach home off an error from third base, while
Ruth Kaiser hit a SAC to the infield, putting Stewart through home, 3-0 in the third inning. Franklin would add one more run from Zugelman singling to right to advance Fuhrman to take a 4-0 lead. Hanover would take control in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six runs to give them the slight edge.
Zugelman obtains the loss allowing six runs on one hit and four base on balls. Zugelman lit it up behind the plate, going 3-for-4 with one run and RBI, while Fuhrmann goes perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one base on ball in the narrow loss.
Up Next
The Grizzlies hit the road for their final regular season matchup on Saturday (May 3rd) afternoon against the Bluffton Beavers. First pitch of game one from Bluffton is set for 1:00 p.m.
