WESTMINSTER, MD - Pitcher Mary Abrams hurled a three-hit shutout in game one and designated player Caitlin Burns homered twice in game two, including a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth to break a 4-4 tie, as the McDaniel College Green Terror softball team defeated Franklin & Marshall 5-0 and 5-4 in the Centennial Conference season-opener for both teams.

In game one, the Green Terror (4-9, 2-0 Centennial Conference) gave Abrams all that she would need in the first inning as McDaniel tacked on three runs in the first inning off pitcher Bonnie Crouthamel (Fr., Chatham, NJ/Chatham) before adding solo runs in the second and third for a 5-0 lead after three innings of play.

The story of the game was Abrams who allowed a single to center field by Allison Pavero (Jr., Malvern, PA/Notre Dame Academy) in the second inning, a double by Dana Johns (Jr., York, PA/Eastern York) in the sixth and a single by Pavero in the seventh while striking out two, walking one and hitting two batters.

Franklin & Marshall had several chances to score as Morgan Marks (So., Furlong, PA/Central Bucks East) reached on an error by McDaniel shortstop Samantha Smith with one out in the second. Pavero singled to move Marks to second, but Abrams induced a pop-up to second base and a ground out back to the mound to get out of the inning.

In the third, Meghan Baker (Fr., Glenville, PA/South Western) was hit by a pitch and stole second before Johns popped up to Abrams.

Crouthamel grounded out to third to move Baker to third base and Laura DePalma (Sr., Toms River, NJ/Toms River) walked to put runners on the corners with two outs. However, DePalma was caught stealing to end the inning.

Johns led off the sixth with a double to center field and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ali Tyler (Fr., Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood), but Abrams got DePalma and Kathleen Clinchy (Fr., Katonah, NY/Somers) to ground out to third base and shortstop, respectively, to get out off another inning.

The Diplomats attempted to rally in the seventh as Marks led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Pavero singled before Liz Iannaconi (Fr., Palisades Park, NJ/Dwight Englewood) bunted the runners over for the first out of the inning. However, Abrams completed the complete game shutout by getting pinch-hitter Myrhia Brewer (Fr., Newton, MA/Rivers School) to pop up to first base and Baker to fly out to centerfield.

In game two, F&M jumped out to a 3-0 lead as the Diplomats posted runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

In the third inning, Erin Benjamin (Sr., Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) singled to right field and stole second base before Baker moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt and Johns drove her in with an RBI single. Johns then moved around the base paths as she stole second and third, but McDaniel pitcher Nichol Moeller recorded back-to-back ground outs to end the inning.

The Diplomats struck again in the fourth as Marks singled to left field and moved to second on a groundout by Pavero. Iannaconi singled to put runners on the corners before Jonelle Coletta (Sr., Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach) singled to load the bases. Benjamin then walked to force in Marks for a 2-0 lead. Moeller escaped the inning as she struck out Baker swinging and got Johns to bounce back to the mound.

In the fifth, Crouthamel doubled and DePalma bunted to put the first two runners on base. DePalma then stole second base before Pavero grounded out to second base to drive in Crouthamel for a 3-0 lead.

McDaniel answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth with two outs as Diana Rosemier walked and moved to third base on a single by Smith. Rosemier scored on a fielding error off an Abrams grounder and Burns blasted a three run homer to put the Green Terror in front 4-3.

F&M tied the game in the top of the seventh as DePalma and Marks roped back-to-back doubles to put runners on second and third with one out. Pavero reached on an infield error to bring in DePalma to tie the game, but Moeller shut down the Diplomats to keep the game tied at 4-4 entering the bottom of the inning.

Pitching in relief of F&M starting pitcher Laura Kaesshaefer (Fr., Philadelphia, PA/William Penn Charter), who went five innings allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk with a strikeout, Tyler mowed down the Green Terror in the bottom of the seventh with a strikeout, pop-up to second base and a fly-out to centerfield to go into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Benjamin reached on an infield error at third base and moved to second on a single to center field by Johns with one out. Crouthamel grounded out to move the runners up to second and third, but Moeller threw a ground out to end the threat.

McDaniel wasted little time in ending the game as Burns led off the bottom of the eighth with a blast over the fence for the game-winning home run.

Tyler took the loss allowing one hit and one run in two innings of work with two strikeouts, while Moeller picked up a complete game win allowing four runs on 11 hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

The losses mark the 25th and 26th straight to McDaniel as Franklin & Marshall has not defeated the Green Terror in softball since 1993.

Franklin & Marshall (2-12, 0-2 Centennial Conference) will continue the season on April 7 at home versus Moravian College for a non-conference doubleheader. Game one is set to start at 3:30 p.m.