FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Franklin College Grizzlies put up runs in bunches en route to a convincing Easter weekend sweep of the Beavers on Saturday, April 16, 2022. Bluffton fell to 10-18 overall and 2-6 in the Heartland Conference following its sixth straight HCAC setback. Franklin improved to 15-12 with a 7-3 mark in HCAC play.

Bryn Cisco (Lancaster/Fairfield Union) took advantage of a pair of Franklin errors in the fourth to knot the game at 1-1 when she crossed the dish, but Franklin stormed right back with six runs in the home half despite just three Grizzly hits.

Sammi Urban (Troy/Miami East) and Sydney Zinkon (Fresno/Ridgewood) came around to score following two more Franklin miscues in the sixth and Taylor Shimp (St. Marys/Memorial) added a run in the seventh, but the home team held on for a 7-4 victory in the lidlifter.

Zinkon went 3-of-4 and Lexus Rutledge (Henderson, KY/Henderson County) chipped in with two hits. 

Junior Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) allowed just one run through the first three innings but did not factor in the decision. Emily Buss (Kalida) fell to 0-1 after allowing four runs on two hits in the fourth frame. Fellow freshman Madison Jones (West Milton/Milton Union) held the Grizzlies to two unearned runs over the final three innings.

A 15-run outburst in the first inning of game two was the story as Franklin rolled to a 21-5 victory which capped the series sweep. 

Jones paced the Bluffton offense, going 3-of-3 with two runs scored and two RBI. Urban, Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) and Mia McCartney (North Baltimore) also drove in runs for the Beavers.

Bluffton will return home for Easter and look to get its form back when the Beavers host Anderson University on Wednesday, April 20. Game one is slated for 3:30 p.m.

-BEAVERS-