LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall earned a split against Haverford in Centennial Conference (CC) softball action on Saturday afternoon at Baker Campus Field. The Diplomats fell 13-6 in game one before slipping past the Fords 5-4 in game two. F&M now sits at 15-4, 6-2 CC, while Haverford moved to 15-6, 6-2 CC.

The Fords got on the board early in game one, starting with a double down the left field line from Jill Schnall. Kendall Chambers followed later in the inning with a two-RBI double to left center to give Haverford a 3-0 advantage.

Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Diplomats were able to push two across the board off back-to-back RBI-singles. Melissa Bollmeyer ripped the ball through the right side to plate Kathleen Zogorski, and Erin Russell followed with a rope to right field that scored Bollmeyer and brought F&M to within one run at 3-2.

The Fords, however, put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth and scored six runs to increase the lead to 9-2. The Diplomats scored two runs in the bottom of the frame, but Haverford tacked on four more in the top of the seventh and went on to win 13-6.

Russell went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, while Patricia Crigler added two hits and scored two runs and Zogorski finished with two hits.

Isabel Schaefer (7-3) suffered the loss, going 5.1 innings and giving up eight runs with three strikeouts.

Kendall Chambers led the Fords in game one with three hits and five RBIs, and Sara Tauriello (6-1) threw five innings and gave up four runs in the victory.

In the nightcap, after Haverford scored in the top of the first off a wild pitch, Russell and Bollmeyer took advantage of a throwing error in the bottom of the third and scored to give F&M a 2-1 lead. Megan Ryan later singled up the middle to scored Crystal Good and make it 3-1. In the top of the fourth, Chambers hit an RBI through the left side to tie the contest at 2-2 and later in the inning, Brianna Lowey stole second, allowing Kristin Tatum to score from third and give Haverford a 3-2 lead.

After the Fords scored a run in the top of the fifth to make it 4-2, Bollmeyer hit an RBI-single to third base to scored Zogorski in the bottom of the sixth to tie the contest at 4-4. Russell came up next and with two outs, the freshman delivered an RBI-single through the left side to score Bollmeyer and put the Diplomats ahead 5-4 heading into the final inning.

Starting pitcher Justine Lohrey allowed a lead-off single in the seventh, but was able to get three outs and secure the win for F&M at 5-4.

Russell finished game two with a 4-for-4 showing from the plate, while Bollmeyer was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Lohrey (4-1) pitched a complete-game and gave up four runs while striking out four batters.

The Diplomats travel to McDaniel tomorrow for a double header beginning at 1:00 p.m.