LANCASTER, PA -- Starting pitcher Dave Stahlman (Sr., Topeka, KS/Washburn Rural) tossed eight innings striking out five and giving up one run to lead F&M to a 6-1 victory over Gettysburg.
The Diplomats (16-9, 8-1 Centennial Conference) gave Stahlman all he would need to up his record to 3-1 on the year as Franklin & Marshall scored four runs in the second inning.
Dan Weber (Sr., Reading, PA/Governor Mifflin) led the inning off with a single and Gary Kruger (So., East Islip, NY/East Islip) walked before Scott Haft (Jr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) drove a double to the fence to score Weber and send Kruger to third base. Dan Hanecak (So., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) reached base on a fielder's choice to score Kruger and stole second base to put runners on first and second. Eric Milavsky (So., Medford, NJ/Shawnee) roped a two run single to the outfield grass to score both Haft and Hanecak to give the Diplomats a 4-0 lead.
The Bullets (10-11-1, 3-5 Centennial Conference) registered a run in the fourth inning as Mike Cipolloni grounded out to second base to drive in pinch runner Jon Giordano and pull within three runs.
In the eighth inning, Stahlman pitched his way out of a jam as he got Cipolloni to fly out to centerfield with the bases loaded to end the inning and set up the Diplomats' bats.
F&M increased its lead in the bottom of the inning as the blue and white strung together two hits, two Gettysburg errors and a wild pitch for two runs for the 6-1 final.
Reliever Pete Maki (Sr., Woodbury, CT/Nonnewauq) closed out the game getting the first two batters to fly out to centerfield before striking out Brian Pernice to end the game.
At the plate, Kruger led the team as he batted two-for-three with a run scored and a stolen base, while Milavsky went two-for-three with two RBI.
Franklin & Marshall will return to the diamond on Saturday April 10th in Baltimore, MD at Centennial Conference rival Johns Hopkins University in a double header. Game one is set for 1:00 p.m.
Gettysburg 0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0 -- 1-10-2
F&M 0-4-0-0-0-0-0-2-x -- 6-9-0
E - Lettieri, Whitman, LOB - GC - 10, F&M - 7, 2B - Haft, Pernice, SB - Kruger, Hanecak, McDonald, Smith
