March 30, 2007

Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall scored five runs on only three hits to hand Ursinus a 5-2 loss Friday afternoon at Caplan Field. Plagued by wild pitches and errors all afternoon, the snake-bitten Bears (10-6, 1-1 CC) were a swing of the bat away from taking the lead in the top of the ninth, but the Diplomats (7-8, 1-1 CC) Dan Tischler (New York, NY / Horace Mann) struck out the only batter he faced, pinch hitter, Scott Young. The K stranded three Ursinus base runners, securing F&M's first Centennial Conference win of the season, and Tischler's fourth save of the season.

Working in relief of Diplomats starter, Matt Metsch (E. Brunswick, NJ / E. Brunswick), Jason Anderson got through the seventh and eighth unscathed, but started to struggle with his control in the ninth. He allowed one run on a Brad Wickersham single that found its way through the right side of the Diplomats defense. The game appeared to be over on the next play, but second baseman Tom Miller (York, PA / York Central) punched the ball with his glove, setting up the bases loaded showdown between Young and Tischler.

Metsch pieced together a solid start allowing one unearned run on five hits. He struck out five to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Ursinus got on the board first in the second inning when Brendan Evans reached on an error by Bill Murray. Evans crossed on a Ziemak double into rightfield two batters later.

F&M got the run back in the same fashion. The Diplomats leadoff batter, Rich Gallugi (Peabody, MA / St. John's Prep) reached on the first of three errors by Ursinus shortstop Tom Hermann. Jeffrey Rowand (York, PA / Dallastown) followed that with a double into the leftfield gap to score Gallugi. The Diplomats took the lead for good when Rowand came home on a wild pitch.

The Diplomats got two more runs without a hit in the fourth when Gallugi and Rowand reached on back-to-back errors. Gallugi scored on the error that got Rowand on board, and Rowand later crossed again on a wild pitch.

Billy McGuire (Chappaqua, NY / Horace Greeley) scored F&M's final run, also on a wild pitch, in the sixth. He reached on a single that got past a diving Dave Randolph at first base. Mike Minutaglio's (Armonk, NY / Byram Hills) single through the right side moved McGuire to third, while the errant throw from rightfield left Minutaglio in scoring position. He made it to third, but no farther, on Pat Higgins wild pitch that plated McGuire.

Ursinus' starter, Mike Sangroom (1-2) was saddled with a tough loss, giving up five runs, only one of which was earned. He struck out seven of the 26 batters he faced over five and a third inning.

The Diplomats return to action for a pair on Saturday at Muhlenberg.