BALTIMORE, MD -- Franklin & Marshall College first baseman Gordie Eck (Sr., Columbia, PA/Lancaster Catholic) blasted a two run homerun with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning off reliever Rob Caruso to lead the Diplomats to a 5-4 win over Ursinus College in the Centennial Conference baseball playoffs hosted by Johns Hopkins University.
The homerun marked the first longball of Eck's four-year varsity career as the senior first baseman hit a fly-ball which cleared the fence but was ruled a ground rule double in the Diplomats' last regular season game, a 5-3 victory over Alvernia at home on Caplan Field.
Against Ursinus, Eck's homerun capped a dramatic end to the game as Franklin & Marshall scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off a three-run homerun by rightfielder Scott Haft (Jr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) to tie the game.
F&M looked to take the lead in the seventh inning as leftfielder Corey Caruthers (So., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) singled to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Tony Breslau (Sr., Philadelphia, PA/Chestnut Hill). Caruthers stole third base and a pitch from Ursinus starter Ryan Bown hit Eck to put runners on the corners with one out. Centerfielder Dan Hanecak (So., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) lofted a fly ball to centerfield to apparently score Caruthers. However, Ursinus appealed the call and Caruthers was ruled out as he was charged with leaving the base early on the fly ball.
Ursinus took the lead in the top of the ninth off F&M reliever Ted Serro (So., Brooklyn, NY/Xavier) as Matt Platco reached on an error by shortstop Chris Smith (So., Fairfax Station, VA/Robinson) with one out and Ted Piotrowicz singled to move Platco to third and put runners on the corners. Platco then scored on an error by Serro before he struck out Kyle Hart, hit Ben Fisher to load the bases and got Tommy Hermann to fly-out to rightfield and set up Eck's heroics in the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Caruso relieved Bown and got Caruthers to fly out to centerfield for the first out of the inning. Breslau walked and Eck slammed Caruso's offering over the fence for the 5-4 win.
The homer capped off a come from behind victory in which the Bears built a 3-0 lead, but couldn't hold on for the win.
In the third inning, Ursinus got on the scoreboard as Jon Sheppard singled off F&M starter John Walsh (Sr., Havertown, PA/Haverford) and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Jerry Rogers walked to put runners on first and second before both advanced on another wild pitch. Hermann grounded out to second base to drive in Sheppard for a 1-0 Bears' lead.
Ursinus tacked on two more runs in the sixth as Ryan Regensburg and Eric Shipe roped back-to-back homeruns to leadoff the inning to drive Walsh from the game and bring in Serro from the bullpen.
Trailing 3-0, the Diplomats tied the game as Eck doubled to leadoff the bottom of the sixth before Bown got Hanecak to ground out to third base and Smith to pop-up to second base. Rob Georgiou (Sr., Tappan, NY/Bergen Catholic) singled to advance Eck to third and Haft drove a three-run homerun over the outfield fence to knot the game and set up the dramatic final innings.
On the mound, Serro earned the win going four innings with one run allowed on one hit with three strikeouts, while Walsh earned a no-decision for five innings with three runs allowed on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. Caruso took the loss for Ursinus allowing two runs on one hit over a third of an inning, while Bown went eight innings allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk with five strikeouts.
The win marks the first Centennial Conference postseason win in baseball history at the College as F&M fell to Muhlenberg 5-4 in a playoff game at Johns Hopkins on May 4, 2002 during the inaugural conference tournament. Ironically, Franklin & Marshall lost the game as Mules' shortstop lined a solo homerun over the fence in the top of the 10th inning off Dave Stahlman (Sr., Topeka, KS/Washburn Rural), who entered the game in relief of Walsh.
Franklin & Marshall (24-17, 12-6 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on May 1 in the Centennial Conference playoffs at Johns Hopkins as the Diplomats earned the right to square off with #1 nationally ranked Hopkins in a best of three playoff series. The winner of the playoff series will be crowned 2004 Centennial Conference champions and earn the CC bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. Game one of the series is set for 3:30 p.m. on May 1, with game two scheduled for noon on May 2. Game three (if necessary) will begin 20 minutes following the conclusion of game two.
