FRANKLIN, Ind. -- The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology baseball team went on the road and swept the Franklin Grizzlies, the HCAC preseason favorites, to finish off the opening weekend of HCAC play at 3-1 overall. The Fightin' Engineers took the first game 11-5 before prevailing 6-3 in the second game of the day.

Rose-Hulman jumped on the board early against Franklin in the opening game with two runs in the first inning on two walks, two Franklin errors, and a wild pitch. The Fightin' Engineers would tack on three more in the second on a sacrifice fly by Colter Couillard-Rodak and a two-run home run by Dalton Busboom to extend the lead to 5-0.

Franklin would get two back with a home run, but Rose-Hulman would extend the lead back to five with a two-run double by Connor O'Connell in the sixth inning. 

The Grizzlies would cut the lead to three once again, but the Fightin' Engineers tacked on four more in the ninth on a safety squeeze bunt by Ryland Hixon and a three-run home run by Kade Kline to clinch the 11-5 victory in the opening game.

Ian Kline had his best start of the young season, going 5.1 innings with 8 strikeouts. He would allow four earned runs on six hits and three walks en route to his second win of the season.

Camden Judson was exceptional out of the bullpen once again as he struck out 7 batters in just 3.1 innings of work. He would pick up his first career save after allowing just one unearned run on three hits to finish the game.

Kade Kline led the offense with 3 hits, 3 runs, and 3 RBIs in the win.

In the second game, it was Rose-Hulman once again jumping out to an early lead as Josh Erpenbeck singled home a run in the second and Peter Rogers doubled home a run in the third to make it 2-0.

The Fightin' Engineers would extend that lead to 5-0 in the fourth after Kade Kline singled home another run, and Couillard-Rodak brought in two more with another single.

Franklin would cut into the lead with one in the bottom of the fourth, but Rose-Hulman would get it right back in the fifth after Caleb Frakes singled and Jackson Summers scored on the throwing error by the third basemen.

The Grizzlies once again came back in the sixth with two more runs, but they would lead the bases loaded as Schuyler Wilcox would come into the game and get out of the jam.

O'Connell would double home another run in the eighth, and the Fightin' Engineers would hold on for the 7-3 victory to complete the sweep.

Brady Strawmyer recorded the best start of his career as the freshman would throw 5.2 innings and allow just four hits and 2 runs with only one being earned.

Wilcox came in relief to get out of the jam, and Jonathan Oliger would close it out with two shutout innings of 2 hit baseball.

Dalton Busboom and Connor O'Connell led the team with two hits in the second game.

Rose-Hulman improves to 11-6 overall with the win, and they will return to Art Nehf Field on Wednesday, March 27 at 6 PM as they host the Wabash College Little Giants.