WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Franklin & Marshall baseball's late rally fell short after digging a seven run hole in a 10-5 loss to Ithaca in non-conference action in Florida. The Diplomats (5-5) fell behind 9-2 in the fifth inning, but cut the Bombers' (6-2) lead to five, then loaded the bases in the ninth to threaten.

F&M had runners in scoring position during the first two innings, but it took until the third for Jakob Hoffman to single home Will Samuel for a 1-0 lead.

Ithaca tied the game in the bottom of the frame off a Diplomat error, then put up a crooked six-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning for a 7-1 lead. A ground-rule double, followed by a triple, and two more doubles created most of the havoc. A bases loaded plunking drove in the fifth run, then a two run double tacked on two more for the Bombers.

Hoffman delivered again with a sac fly in the fifth, as Grant Burgess went station to station after a leadoff walk to narrow the gap to 7-2.

Another two-run double in the bottom half of the frame extended the Ithaca lead to 9-2.

F&M made noise in the top of the seventh, as Spencer Berson doubled to open the inning. Bobby Falese continued his hot hitting, doubling home the center fielder to make it 9-3. Pat Elliott came through with a pinch-hit single to send Falese home two batters later to trim the lead to 9-4.

Ithaca tacked on an insurance run in the eighth that proved useful.

Bobby Falese opened the ninth with a double, then Hoffman put runners on the corners with no one out. Pat Elliott smacked a sac fly to left to score Falese, making it 10-5. A two-out single from Connor Rush moved Hoffman into scoring position, and a Tommy Alexander hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. A pop-fly in the infield ultimately ended the Diplomat rally.

Jakob Hoffman went 2-4 with two RBI, while Bobby Falese made it an RBI in nine of his ten games with a 2-3, two double performance. AJ Desautels also finished with a multi-hit game.

Charlie Wright (0-1) picked up the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) in 3.2 innings of work.

The Diplomats have a day off before facing Amherst on Thursday afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in Winter Haven, Fla.