ABINGTON, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall softball team rattled off 13 runs on 14 hits in a 13-1 drubbing of Penn State-Abington before completing the sweep with an equally impressive 17-5 win on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action. The Diplomats improved to 11-15 on the season while the Nittany Lions fell to 10-6.

F&M needed only five innings in the opening contest to finish of Penn State-Abington, putting together a six-run fifth to end the game via mercy rule. The Diplomats tallied runs in four of the five innings, jumping ahead by a score of 7-1 after the third.

Malorie Sassaman led the way with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, scoring two runs and batting in a pair. Danielle Murphy also went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs and a pair of steals. Caitlin Brust tallied three RBIs on the game and collected two doubles with three runs scored as part of a 2-for-3 showing.

Starting pitcher Kaitlin Zampino (5-9) went five innings, allowing only one earned run while striking out three batters. The junior right hander held the Nittany Lions to only three hits and a walk to capture the victory.

F&M's offense picked up right where it left off in game two with a three-hit, four-run inning in the top of the first to take an early 4-0 lead. Up by the same score in the third, the Diplomats exploded for a season-high nine runs on seven hits.

Ashley Hartshorn, Nicole Casey and Julianne Whitleigh led a barrage of extra-base hits in the inning with each picking up a double in the frame.

Penn State Abington scored three runs in the bottom of the third to pull within 10 at 13-3, but F&M continued to send runners across the plate with three runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to cruise to the 12-run victory.

Nine Diplomats combined for 15 hits, including six doubles, on the afternoon.  Hartshorn batted a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, scoring three runs and tacking on two RBIs. Sam DeNoville also collected three hits to go along with two runs and two RBIs in a 3-for-4 effort.

Starting pitcher Justine Lohrey (6-6) picked up the win after striking out six and not allowing an earned run in five innings of work.

F&M returns to the field on Saturday to face off against Haverford in Centennial Conference (CC) action. Game one of the doubleheader at Baker Campus Field is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.