Box Score
CAMDEN, N.J. - Drew Atkins' two-out single in the ninth proved
to be the difference as Franklin & Marshall defeated
Rutgers-Camden, 9-8, in the third game of the Bob Williams Memorial
Tournament. The Diplomats, who were victims of two ninth
inning rallies over the weekend, finally found themselves on the
other side of the coin. F&M picked up its first win of the
year, improving to 1-2. The Raptors fell to 1-4.
Bill Murray reached first to start the ninth after being hit by
a pitch. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, giving the
Diplomats a runner in scoring position. Russell Tischler doubled to
right field in the next at-bat, scoring Murray, which broke a 7-7
tie, to give F&M a one-run lead. Tischler took third on a
wild pitch and Raptor's pitcher John Diamond retired the next two
batters. Atkins hit a single to right field, platting Tischler,
which gave F&M a two-run, 9-7, lead.
Rutgers-Camden collected back-to-back two-out doubles by Robert
Miranda and Tom Clarke in the bottom half of the ninth to come with
in a run. F&M reliever Josh Gray who entered the game to quell
a seventh-inning Raptor rally, finished off his victory with a
grounder to second base.
Gray (1-0) worked 2-2/3 innings, allowing two hits and one
earned run. He struck out one and didn't walk a batter.
The Diplomats scored runs in the first five frames including a
pair of two-run innings. Nick Rolnick doubled to left in the
first, scoring Jay Anderson for the first score of the game.
Matt Will hit a two-run single in the second frame to F&M a 3-1
advantage.
F&M added two runs in the third and one apiece in the fourth
and fifth innings. The Raptors kept pace scoring a run in each of
the first three innings. Rutgers-Camden added two in fifth and two
more in the seventh to tie the game at seven, setting up the
Diplomats ninth.
Both teams collected 12 hits in the game. Tischler led the
Diplomats with a 3-for-5 day, adding one run and one RBI. Franklin
& Marshall also received two hits apiece from Anderson, Rolnick
and Atkins. Will had three RBIs for the Diplomats.
Miranda and Greg Hunt had three hits apiece for Rutgers-Camden,
while Fruits added two. Greg Hunt also added two runs and two RBIs,
while Miranda scored twice and drove home one run.
The Diplomats return to the diamond on March 14th for
a 1:00 p.m. game at Guilford.
