KOKOMO, Ind. – The Franklin College baseball team opened conference tournament play on Thursday (May 8) morning, taking on third-seeded Rose-Hulman in the first game of the 2025 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament.
 
The Grizzlies held their own, but a scoreless back five innings cost the Grizzlies in the end, losing 3-2.

FC got on the board first after Dyllan Redmon singled to left center to drive in Nic Deering to take an early 1-0 lead.
 
Rose plated three runs in the bottom of the second to claim the 3-1 lead. The Grizzlies would bring it within one, (3-2) in the top of the fourth after Ian Nuckles bombed a solo homer. Franklin left seven runners on base with their best tying chance coming in the fifth after Alex Billman reached third and Redmon walked to first. Both would be left on base as the next batter would fly out to center for the third out.
 
Andrew Wallace, Josh Girvan, Redmon, Garrett DeHart, Nuckles, Luke Willmann, and Billman all secured hits on the day. Redmon and Nuckles both secured an RBI a piece.
 
Senior Matthew Johnson (4-3) got the start and finish for the  first round. He faced 37 batters, striking out eight, allowing five hits, three runs, and walking three.
 
Up Next
Franklin will play in the tournament's first elimination game, which is set for Friday (May 9) morning at 10:00 a.m. The Grizzlies will meet the fourth seeded Pioneers of Transylvania.