GREENWOOD, Ind. - Carroll baseball fought for a game 1 victory over Franklin, before falling in game 2 on Friday. The offense proved to be the decider in the first one, with the Pios striking for 12 runs.
Game 1: Carroll 12, Franklin 9
Carroll baseball erupted for 12 runs on 14 hits and held off a late Franklin push to earn a 12–9 victory in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader at Center Grove High School.
The Pioneers struck early, scoring in the first inning when Dalen Lamberson singled home Jimmy Williams. Carroll then broke the game open with a five-run second inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Gabriel Lee and a two-run double by Williams. Lamberson capped the inning with his second RBI single of the game, giving Carroll a 5–0 advantage.
Franklin responded in the bottom of the second with four runs, including a three-run home run from Noah Loveall, trimming the deficit to 5–4. Carroll answered in the fourth on a solo home run from Nathan Crick, and later added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Crick to extend the lead to 7–4.
The back-and-forth continued in the sixth, as Franklin tied the game with a three-run homer from Davis Wagner and a sacrifice fly from Loveall. Carroll regained the lead in the seventh when Eddie Synek launched a two-run home run to left field, putting the Pioneers back in front, 9–8.
After Franklin tied the game again in the eighth, Carroll delivered the decisive blow in the ninth. Lee homered to left field with two outs, scoring Brody Ferko and sealing the 12–9 victory.
Lee finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs, while Lamberson and Williams each drove in two. Synek added two hits and two RBIs, and Ferko scored twice. On the mound, Chayce Schultz earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
Game 2: Franklin 9, Carroll 3
Franklin used a six-run sixth inning to pull away and defeat Carroll 9–3 in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
The Grizzlies scored twice in the first inning and held a 2–1 lead after Carroll answered with a solo home run from Lamberson in the second. Franklin remained in front before breaking the game open in the sixth, capitalizing on walks and defensive miscues to score six runs and extend the lead to 8–1.
Carroll scratched across a run in the eighth when Ross Olsen doubled to center field, driving in Ferko, and added another in the ninth on an RBI single by Ferko. Franklin responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.
Ferko led Carroll offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Lamberson homered and drove in a run, while Olsen added an RBI double. Tyler Fredrick started on the mound for Carroll, allowing two runs over five innings before the Franklin rally against the bullpen proved decisive.
Carroll is back in action tomorrow, returning home to Frame Park to take on UW-Stevens Point at 4pm.
