April 1, 2007

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

LANCASTER, Pa. - Barbara Sasso's (Warren, NJ / Watchung Hills) double into right field brought designated player, Caitlin Elfring (Glen Rock, NJ / Glen Rock) home delivering Franklin & Marshall a 9-8 win, and sealing a Sunday sweep of Lebanon Valley College. The Diplomats won the first game 2-1.

The sweep was the Diplomats first since March 15, 2005 when F&M took two from Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts. It moved F&M's record to 6-12 on the season, giving F&M one more win than it recorded during in all of last season. Lebanon Valley dropped to 8-6.

F&M fell behind early in the closer falling behind 5-1 midway through the second. Jessica Feldman (Jackson, NJ / Jackson Memorial) tripled to right-centerfield in the bottom of the second to score Elfring, who got on board with a one-out single, and Sasso, who reached on a two-out error.

The Diplomats seized the lead in the bottom of the third. Lauren Incorvaia (Manalapan, NJ / St. John Vianney) led-off the frame with a double, and crossed on Robyn Jones' (Titusville, NJ / Pennington School) triple one batter later. Kathleen Clinchy (Katonah, NY / Somers) followed that with a two run shot to left-center making it 6-5 in favor of F&M.

The lead didn't last long.

Lisa DiCristtofaro reached on a one out error, and Jenn Parks got on board with a two-out error in the top of the fourth. Jenn Roberts made the Diplomats pay for the mistakes with a three-run blast in the same direction as Clinchy's, giving LVC an 8-5 lead. The Diplomats scored a run in each of its next two offensive halves to tie the game at 8-8, while holding LVC without a run over the final three innings, before Sasso went to work ending the game.

Ali Tyler (Ridgewood, NJ / Ridgewood) took the win having worked six-and-two-thirds inning, bookending Meredith Morgan's one-third in the fourth. Tyler improved to 2-6, having surrendered seven runs, three earned, on seven hits and four walks. She struck out five.

Feldman was 3-for-4 in the nightcap with two runs and two RBIs. Jones went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.

Jones and Feldman accounted for two of F&M's three hits in the first game. Incorvaia, who was responsible for F&M's other hit, and Feldman accounted for the Diplomat runs scored. All of the hits came in the fourth inning, starting with Feldman's first triple of the day. Incorvaia followed that with a double into right-center making it a 1-1 game. Jones' single moved Incorvaia over. She came home on a passed ball.

The fourth was the only time F&M got to Roberts. She fanned seven batters and just one earned run in being saddled with the loss, dropping her record to 3-3. Bonnie Crouthamel (Chatham, NJ / CHatham) got to 4-4 on the year having worked seven innings, allowing as many hits. She struck out five while issuing four walks.

The Diplomats return to action on Friday against Muhlenberg.