INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Back up north after a 5-1 Florida trip, the Albion College baseball team split the series opener against Franklin College. Sunday's game will serve as the rubber match. 

GAME ONE: Albion 7 Franklin 4

Matt McGann smacked a one-out single before Kris Stojanovski cranked his third homer of the season, putting Albion ahead 2-0 early. In the top of the second, Albion added another run off a Franklin error and a RBI single from Carson Dunn. In the bottom of the inning, Franklin hit a three run home run to tie the game at 3-3. 

In the top of the eighth, the Brits rallied to put two on in scoring position with one out. McGann rolled over a pitch to drive in Ryker Mazy and give Albion a 5-4 lead. The lead was once again short-lived, as a home run by the Grizzlies once again tied the game in the bottom of the frame. 

Desperate for insurance runs, Braeden Emery provided the big blow in the top of the ninth. After a leadoff single by Mark Lauro, Emery smashed his first long ball of the season to give Albion a three run cushion. 

Lauro led Albion with a 3 for 5 performance. Sophomore Cole Giesige (ND) threw five innings, striking out nine while scattering five hits. Zak Kelly (1-0) earns his first collegiate win, tossing three innings in relief while allowing just one hit. Luke Robertson worked the ninth to collect his second save of the season. 

GAME TWO: Franklin 15 Albion 3 (7 innings) 

Franklin was in control for a majority of the game, pushing across multi-run innings. McGann was 3 for 4 in the loss with a RBI. Both Evan Schuster and Jack Lasceski drove in a run for the Britons. 

Late in the contest, the Grizzlies plated enough runs to reach the run-rule threshold.

Albion will close out the series tomorrow with a noon first pitch against the Grizzlies.