LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team dropped a 21-4 contest against Gettysburg in Centennial Conference (CC) action on Sunday at Caplan Field. The Diplomats now sit with an 11-17, 3-7 CC record on the year, while the Bullets remained atop the conference standings, improving to a 24-3, 10-0 record. 

Gettysburg took an early 2-0 lead in the second off one hit and a pair of errors before tacking on three more in the third with three hits and an error. Avery Attinson cut into the deficit with a solo homerun in the bottom of the third to pull within four at 5-1, however the Bullets quickly answered with a two RBI double in the fourth to make it a 7-1 contest. 

Brian Erb kept F&M within striking distance with a fielder's choice RBI in the bottom of the frame, scoring Rob Anderson from third and pulling the Diplomats within five. 

Gettysburg's potent offense continued its onslaught in the fifth, adding to its lead with a sacrifice fly to right field before blowing the game wide open in the sixth with five runs off three hits that included a pair of doubles.

Six runs off five hits in the top of the seventh firmly put the game out of reach for the Diplomats as the Bullets pushed the advantage to 15 at 19-4. 

Will Benenson, David Iacobucci and Attinson all recorded a pair of hits for F&M as the Diplomats combined for eight in the game. Gettysburg tallied 19 hits on the afternoon that included five doubles.

Third baseman Nate Simon and shortstop Scott Zanghellini each registered five RBIs, while second baseman Tommy LeNoir went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored four runs. 

Starter Sam Ackerman (0-2) was dealt the loss after allowing four earned off six hits in 3.2 innings of work. His counterpart Chris Yoda of Gettysburg (3-1) picked up the win, allowing three earned off seven hits in six innings on the mound. 

F&M returns to the field Wednesday when the Diplomats travel to take on Washington at 3:30 p.m.