WINCHESTER, Va. - Franklin & Marshall dropped a 9-7 contest to Shenandoah in non-conference baseball action on Thursday afternoon. The loss moved F&M to 13-6 overall on the year, while the Hornets improved to 10-5. 

 

A strong first inning proved too much to overcome as the Hornets opened the game with five runs in the opening frame. F&M answered in the second with two runs to come within three. Will Samuel tripled to right field to plate Alex Miller for the first run, and a Kevin Lammers' single brought home Samuel for the second score. 

 

Shenandoah tacked one on in the bottom of the second, but the Diplomats answered with a score in the third when Samuel picked up his second RBI after getting hit by a pitch. The Hornets went up 8-3 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and F&M mounted its strongest surge with four runs in the top the sixth. 

 

Danny Blugis and Lammers reached in back-to-back at-bats before Justin Cavegn brought home Blugis on a sac fly. J.J. Freeman reached on an error, and Kyle Ebert cleared the bases with a three-run homer to bring F&M within a run at 8-7. 

 

The Hornets put one on the board in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-7, and two quick innings sealed the win for Shenandoah.

 

Kyle Roche pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up eight earned for his first loss of the year and Noah Jordan tossed three innings in relief, allowing just one run. 

 

Miller led the offense going 3-for-5 with a run scored. Samuel had two RBIs and Lammers finished with an RBI after hitting 2-for-4.

 

F&M returns to action on Saturday when the Diplomats open Centennial Conference (CC) action with a home doubleheader against McDaniel. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m.