ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall picked up a double-header sweep over Muhlenberg in Centennial Conference (CC) baseball action Saturday afternoon.  The Diplomats took the first game 10-7 and won 9-6 in the nightcap. F&M improved to 15-11, 7-2 CC and moved into second place in the conference standings. The Mules fell to 6-21-1, 3-6 CC.

Matt Will went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to pace the Diplomats' offense in the first game. Mike Amabile finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Alex Vescera contributed two RBIs and a run.

Muhlenberg struck first with a run in the first, before F&M used back-to-back four-run innings to take the lead and never looked back.

Amabile started the scoring streak with a solo shot in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Russell Tischler scored after a Connor Devlin single and an error by the Mules to give F&M the lead. Vescera hit a two-out to single to plate Devlin and Will brought Vescera home with single for the fourth run of the frame.

The Diplomats added four more on the board in the fifth to take an 8-1 edge.  Eric Bornstein got things started with a double and was brought home by a single from Amabile. Amabile stole second and scored on an error for the second run of the inning. Vescera and Will struck again with RBI singles for the third and fourth runs in the inning.

The Mules answered with a two-run fifth and four runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-7.  F&M responded with two insurance runs in the seventh.  Kevin Shields' single scored Will and J.T. Triantos crossed home on an error.

Brendan DeMond (2-1) picked up the win with 5.1 innings of work. Brendan McCreary earned his third save of the season in the win. Jason Daniels took the loss for Muhlenberg.

Triantos led the way for F&M in the second game with a 3-for-6, two-run, and one RBI performance. Bornstein went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in. Will Benenson brought two runs across the plate for the Diplomats.

F&M found itself in a 4-0 hole through the third, before scoring six in the fourth to take the lead.  The Diplomats hit three straight singles to start of the inning, the last by Avery Attinson scored Russell Tischler. Zach Honecker plated Blue Wells and Will hit a double to score Attinson for the third run of the inning.  Triantos brought Honecker home and Bornstein hit a two-RBI single for the final two runs of the frame.

Muhlenberg battled back and retook the lead, 7-6, with two runs in the sixth. The Diplomats responded with a run in the eighth and two in the ninth to secure the win.

Matt Valente earned the win and improved to 3-1 on the season. Valente worked 7.1 innings and allowed four earned runs.

The Diplomats return to action tomorrow when they host Ursinus at 1 p.m.