HAVERFORD, PA -- Franklin & Marshall's Scott Haft (Jr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) and Tony Breslau (Sr., Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill) homered to lead the Diplomats to an 8-5 victory over Haverford College in Centennial Conference baseball.
Haverford scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning on four hits and two F&M fielding errors. Ben Einbinder led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a Ken McAlpine single. After two more singles and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Jonas Clark, the Fords led 4-0.
Franklin & Marshall answered in the top of the fourth as catcher Dan Weber (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) singled and advanced to second on a balk to lead off the inning. Breslau grounded out to second base to move Weber to third before Corey Caruthers (So., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) singled to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Diplomats found the scoring column again in the sixth as Weber drove a one out double to the fence and scored on a two-run home run by Breslau to make the score 4-3. Back to back singles by Gordie Eck (Sr., Columbia, PA/Lancaster Catholic) and Caruthers chased Fords' starting pitcher Jon Berke. Dan Hanecak (So., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) drove in Eck with a RBI single to knot the score at 4-4.
Haverford retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth at 5-4, but the Diplomats went back in front courtesy a two run homerun by Scott Haft to put F&M up 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning.
Franklin & Marshall tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth for the 8-5 final as reliever Pete Maki (Sr., Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) notched his fifth save of the year as he tied former teammate Nate Diercks '02 for second place in single season saves in program history.
F&M starting pitcher Dave Stahlman (Sr., Topeka, KS/Washburn Rural) pitched seven innings allowing five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk to earn the win.
At the plate, Weber went three-for-five and Breslau finished two-for-four with two runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Diplomats.
Franklin & Marshall (17-12, 9-4 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on April 17 at home versus McDaniel College in a Centennial Conference doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
