LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall dropped both games of a Centennial Conference doubleheader against Washington by one run margins on Saturday afternoon. A wild, back-and-forth 9-8 loss in game one was followed by a 3-2 pitcher's duel in game two. The losses dropped the Diplomats to 5-3, 5-3 CC while Washington improved to 6-8, 4-4 CC.

Game One: Washington 9, F&M 8 (9 innings)

This wild affair started slowly enough, with Washington getting on the board first. A two-run third inning gave the Shorewomen a 2-0 lead.

F&M answered back immediately, as the first four batters touched home in the bottom half of the third. A gutsy suicide squeeze off the bat of Jamie Belfer scored Brenda Garcia from third. Sam Martin followed up with a three-run blast over the left field wal for a 4-2 lead. A few batters later, Abi Buell laced a single up the gut to score Jill Holoboski for a 5-2 edge.

Washington then began a five inning stretch of run scoring, beginning with a two-run homer in the fifth to cut the Diplomat lead to 5-4.

F&M stretched it back to 6-4 on an Abi Buell sacrifice fly in the bottom half.

Two more Washington runs were plated in the sixth - both unearned. A wild throw from short scored one, then was followed by an RBI single to knot things a six apiece. Caitlyn Erdman's frozen rope from center field on the single stopped another run from scoring and preserved the tie.

Devon Witt once again gave the Diplomats a 7-6 edge with an RBI single in the bottom half.

Washington tied things in the seventh with a one out double. F&M had their chance at victory in their half - loading the bases with two away - but were unable to capitalize.

It looked like the Diplomats would get away unscathed in the eighth, but a two-out single to short gave the Shorewomen a 8-7 lead. Sam Martin tied the game again in the bottom half, tripling to center field, then rounding for home on an errant throw. The Washington catcher was deemed to be in the basepath, scoring Martin.

Washington polished off their fifth straight inning of scoring in the top of the ninth, as three straight singles pushed the eventual game winner across. Three straight F&M batters struck out in the bottom half to end it.

Jill Holoboski and Peightyn Schwartz (1-1) combined in the effort. Holoboski give up six runs (five earned) in 5.2 innings, while Schwartz polished off the game with 3.1 innings and three earned runs.

Sam Martin finished a single shy of the cycle, finishing 3-for-3 with three RBI and a stolen base in the loss. Abi Buell went a perfect 4-for-4 with 2 RBI.

The teams combined for 31 hits in the effort, with F&M also swiping four bags.

Game Two: Washington 3, F&M 2

The hits didn't stop coming for either squad, but the runs did in the second game.

Washington again led off the game with an RBI double for a 1-0 lead, and F&M answered immediately off the bat of Abi Buell. Buell's single to left tied the game at 1-1.

The Shorewomen got a 2 RBI base knock in the top of the second - their final runs of the day.

They were the only runs Washington needed, as F&M struggled to plate frequent baserunners. After two straight innings of stranding two baserunners, the Diplomats got cooking in the fifth with an Ella Glenn solo dinger to left to cut the lead to 3-2. F&M loaded the bases with nobody out, but Washington beared down and took out the next three Diplomats in order.

The last gasp for the Diplomats came in the bottom of the seventh, as a Kat Gunther single put the tying run on base. Gunther advanced two second on a passed ball, but was stranded in scoring position, as the Shorewomen shut the door on a victory.

After not batting in game one, Ella Glenn impressed with a 2-for-3 performance, including a double and homer. Abi Buell and Jamie Belfer continued their hot hitting with a 2-for-4 efforts, while Kat Gunther also turned in a multi-hit game with a 2-for-3 day.

Jill Holoboski (3-1) picked up her first loss of the season, giving up all three Washington runs in her three innings of work. Peightn Schwartz tossed four innings of scoreless softball in relief.

Up Next:

The Diplomats have the chance to get back on the right track and solidify their spot near the top of the Centennial Conference standings with a doubleheader at home against one-win Dickinson next Saturday afternoon.