Wabash trailed 1-0 going into the top of the second inning when Mike Mack (Butler, IN/Eastside) doubled to right center. Freshman Bill Goff (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg) singled to drive Mack home and tie the game at 1-1. The Grizzlies came back with a run in the bottom of the third to move in front 2-1 but Wabash responded again. Bryson Renbarger (Converse, IN/Eastern) singled to left with one out. Goff was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second before moving 90 feet to second and third on a wild pitch. Renbarger scored two pitches later on a sacrifice fly by Jared Martin (Rosedale, IN/Riverton Parke) to knot the game at 2-2.
The game remained even until the fifth inning when Franklin scored two more runs to take a 4-2 lead. A run in the seventh for the Grizzlied made it a 5-2 game before Franklin put the game away in the eighth with a three-run homer to right.
Renbarger collected three of the seven Wabash hits in the game, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Tyler Nance (Celebration, FL/Celebration) was 1-for-3, as was Goff.
The Little Giants (12-18, 0-4) will return to action in the North Coast Athletic Conference Western Division on Saturday, playing a doubleheader against Denison University. The first pitch is set for noon at Mud Hollow Field.