Box Score LEXINGTON, Ky.â€"Four runs in the top of the 14^th helped Franklin College escape Marquard Field with a 9-5 win over the Pioneers Friday in the opening game of a crucial Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference series.

The series is pivotal for both teams as they fight to stay alive for a bid to the HCAC Tournament.

The fans were on their feet in the home half of the eleventh, as Aaron Johnson dropped a ball just inside the line down the first base side for a double. The Pioneers had two runners in scoring position with two away but the Pioneers could not convert.

After Transylvania (14-15, 8-7 HCAC) tied the game at five in the bottom of the eighth, the teams held each other in check until the Grizzlies found the answer in the top of the 14^th.  Franklin's Tyler Ison drove in the go-ahead run on a RBI triple, as Jason Simpkins and Mitch Frey added RBI singled in the inning to make the difference.  

The Pioneers looked to plate the first run in the second inning, after Kody Ross sent a shot down the third base line for a stand-up double in the lead-off spot, putting the Pioneers in scoring position. Ross rounded third on a liner from Hunter Jones, but was called out on a bang-bang play at the plate for the second out of the inning. A failed pick-off attempt allowed Jones to advance to second but the Pioneers were held scoreless.

Franklin (17-12, 8-7 HCAC) drew first blood in the third with two runs on two hits, before Braden Johnson struck out two straight to get out of the inning, trailing 2-0.
After Johnson and the Pioneer defense made quick work of the Franklin offense in the fourth, Trey Simpson sent the first pitch over the fence in left center, pulling the Pioneers within one, 2-1. Kameron Mason followed with a single up the middle to put the tying run aboard for Transylvania. But two back-to-back grounders to third base left two on and ended the Pioneer threat.

The Transylvania defense came up with a clutch 5-4-3 double play, escaping a bases-loaded jam with only one out and giving the Pioneers the momentum as they came to the plate in the bottom half of the inning.

Singles from Aaron Johnson and Edwards put two on, as Simpson drove in his second run of the game as Johnson scored from second to tie it at two apiece. Mason took one for team, loading the bases for the Pioneers with only one out in the inning. Ross sent a long, fly ball to center scoring Edwards on the sacrifice and giving Transylvania a 3-2 lead after five innings.

The Pioneer lead was short-lived, though, as Franklin's Joe Ardizzone doubled to the gap in center and later scored on a Transylvania error tying the game, 3-3 in the top of the sixth.
  
Franklin regained the lead, 5-3, in the top half of the seventh on a RBI double from Scott Windler fell just beyond a diving Zach Bynum. The Grizzlies threatened with two runners in scoring position, before Head Coach Chris Campbell made the call to the bullpen. Matt Birkenhauer came in to relieve Johnson and forced a fly ball to the warning track from the first batter he faced, allowing an incredible over-the-shoulder catch at the from Hunter Jones saving two runs for the Pioneers.

The Pioneers were retired in order following the seventh inning stretch and held the Grizzlies scoreless in the top of the eighth as Mason stepped in the box for Transylvania in the home half.
Mason singled to left to start the inning for the Pioneers, before Ross  left no doubt with a fly ball over the field in left for a two-run homer to tie it up at five. Franklin retired the next three straight batters, as the teams headed into the ninth.

With two on and only one out, Campbell sent for Adam Boone to replace Birkenhauer. Boone forced a groundball back to the mound and made an acrobatic, bare-handed grab to down the second out of the inning. Shortly after, Ross went full extension to snag a groundball off the bat of Franklin's Addrizone to end the inning.

Transylvania's batters were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth, as the teams heading to extra innings.

Ross led the Pioneers going 2-for-4 from the plate with three RBI. Simpson added two RBI on 3-for-7 from the plate. Mason and Aaron Johnson recorded three hits in the loss.  

The weekend series continues tomorrow with a double-header at Marquard Field. Saturday's first game is set for noon with the second game to follow.