CARLISLE, PA - Gary Kruger (So., East Islip, NY/East Islip) went three-for-six with four runs scored and three runs batted in as Franklin & Marshall earned the #2 seed in the 2004 Centennial Conference baseball by splitting a doubleheader at Dickinson College winning game one 7-3 and dropping the night cap 6-5.
The Diplomats jumped on the board in the top of the second inning in game one as Kruger worked a one out walk and stole second with two outs. After Jon Compitello (So., Yardley, PA/George School) walked, Kruger scored on a Dan Hanecak (So., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) RBI single to give F&M a 1-0 lead.
The Red Devils answered in the bottom of the inning scoring two runs on three hits off Diplomat starting pitcher Jon Walsh (Sr., Havertown, PA/Haverford). Dickinson took the lead in the fourth inning as Greg Terebetski doubled to lead the inning and scored on a Phil Newman single to give the Devils a 3-1 lead.
F&M tied the game with two runs in the fifth inning as Rob Georgiou (Sr., Tappan, NY/Bergen Catholic) led the inning off with a walk then stole second base to get into scoring position. Scott Haft (Jr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) doubled to centerfield scoring Georgiou and chasing Devil starting pitcher Matt Eonta before Dan Weber (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) advanced Haft ninety-feet closer on a sacrifice fly to center field. Haft scored on the next pitch on a passed ball as the Diplomats knotted the score at 3-3.
The Diplomats regained the lead in the seventh inning as Georgiou led the inning off with a bunt single then moved to second on a single to centerfield by Haft. Weber walked to load the bases before Kruger emptied them with a triple for a 6-3 lead. Corey Caruthers (So., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) drove Kruger in on a sacrifice fly to conclude the scoring in the 7-3 victory.
Pete Maki (Sr., Woodbury, CT/ Nonnewaug) pitched three innings relief to earn his second victory of the year striking out one and giving up four hits, while Walsh earned a no-decision with seven hits and three runs allowed over four innings.
In game two, Miles Hunt hit a two-out single to drive in Dwinell for a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Franklin & Marshall answered in the second as Kruger doubled to left-centerfield and moved to third base on a single by Caruthers to put runner on the corners. The tying run came across the plate as Tony Breslau (Sr., Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill) ground out to second to drive in Kruger and knot the score at 1-1.
After two scoreless innings Dickinson exploded for five runs on six hits to take a 6-1 advantage. The Red Devils scored all six runs on two outs as Geoff Neese and Miles Hunt hit back-to-back homeruns for three RBI in the inning.
F&M rallied in the sixth as Weber singled before being run for by Eric Milavsky (So., Medford, NJ/Shawnee). Following a single by Kruger, Caruthers reached on an error by the third basemen to load the bases. Breslau walked to plate Milavsky and Kruger scored on an RBI ground out by Gordie Eck (Sr., Columbia, PA/Lancaster Catholic) advancing Caruthers to third and Breslau to second as both runners scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-5 with two outs.
The Diplomats had a chance to take the lead as Hanecak struck out but reached on the wild pitch and Chris Smith (So., Fairfax Station, VA/Robinson) singled and moved to second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position. However, Neese relieved starting pitcher Bryan MacPhail to get a ground out to the end the inning and recorded three straight outs in the seventh to earn a save as the Red Devils picked up the one run win.
On the mound, F&M starting pitcher Ted Serro (So., Brooklyn, NY/Xavier) pitched six innings giving up six earned runs on eight hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts.
The split secures the #2 seed in the upcoming Centennial Conference playoffs for F&M as the Diplomats will take on the winner of a April 30 first round game between #3 Ursinus and #4 Dickinson at 11:30 a.m. on May 1 at #1 seed Johns Hopkins University. The winner of the F&M-Ursinus/Dickinson game will advance to take on the #1 nationally ranked Blue Jays in a best of three series beginning with game one at 3:30 p.m. on May 1. The series will continue with game #2 set for noon on May 2, with game three (if necessary) scheduled for 20 minutes following the conclusion of game #2.
If the Friday game is not played because of weather or exam schedules, three games will then be scheduled for Saturday with the #3-4 game set for 9 a.m., with the winner playing #2 at 12:45 p.m. and the #2-3/4 winner facing the #1 team at 3:30 p.m. all on the #1 team's field. The Sunday schedule would not change in this scenario.
Franklin & Marshall (21-17, 12-6 Centennial Conference) will return to action on April 25 at Lebanon Valley College. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.
