CLERMONT, Fla.-- The Franklin & Marshall softball team shut out Salem State in a 7-0 victory on Friday, bouncing back from its 5-3 defeat in a close battle versus St. Lawrence earlier in the day to split the twin bill.
Game 1: St. Lawrence 5, Franklin & Marshall 3
F&M duel with St. Lawrence as the game was knotted 3-3 through six innings, but three RBI singles in the final frame by the Saints was too much for the Diplomats to overcome.
St. Lawrence entered the scoreboard first in the second inning as a leadoff double by a Saint helped set up an RBI single.
The Saints registered their second run of the ballgame in the fourth inning as another RBI single drove home a Saint to boost its lead to 2-0. The run was unearned, because of a dropped foul ball earlier in the frame.
F&M broke its scoring drought in the fifth inning courtesy of a
Devon Witt RBI triple to right center that plated Belfer. Belfer initially got on base as a result of a St. Lawrence fielder's choice. Witt eventually trotted to home plate to knot the contest 2-2 after a
Abi Buell RBI rip to left side.
A quiet sixth frame brought the tied game into the seventh where the Saints unleashed five singles, well enough for three runs in the process.
The Diplomats' comeback attempt in the bottom of the inning started with a Belfer reach to first as a result of a Saint error.
Alexa Klepper took advantage of the opportunity by smacking a ball to third base for a single, advancing Belfer to second.
Kayla Kilmer, subsequently, singled up the middle to allow Belfer to score the unearned run to narrow the gap 5-3. However, time ran out for the Diplomats as a fly out ended the contest.
Game 2: Franklin & Marshall 7, Salem State 0
Behind a commanding seven-inning shutout by pitcher Aliza Shelfin, F&M recuperated from their previous loss and snagged the 7-0 victory.
The Diplomats avoided a bases-loaded scare in the first inning courtesy of a strikeout by Sheflin to a Viking to register the third out.
Belfer used her go-to single and stolen base tactic to open up the third inning. Belfer, subsequently, advanced to third after a Witt groundout. That incorporated a Klepper sacrifice fly to center field to score the Diplomats' first run of the contest.
F&M's most active inning on offense took place in the fourth inning as the Diplomats tallied three runs on three hits. After a
Kat Gunther hit by pitch,
Sami LaRosa transported Gunther to second after bunting to the pitcher.
Maddy Yeingst proceeded to rip a liner to left field to direct both runners home. F&M were not done as a
Francesca Testa walk and stolen base setted up a Belfer smack to center field to tally F&M's fourth run of the game.
The Diplomats went on to score insurance runs in each of the next three frames to lock the game up. Those runs included an
Alexa Klepper score in the fifth inning, where she singled to center field and then snagged two stolen bases to place her to third. Klepper's efforts eventually notched another F&M run as LaRosa recorded an RBI off a fielder's choice. An error by a Viking in the sixth inning allowed an unearned run scored by
Shannon Briggs after an RBI groundout by Witt. Briggs initially found base after drawing a walk. In the final frame,
Zoie Pearce's RBI single to score
Hannah Matusiak were the finishing touches for the Diplomats' 7-0 shutout triumph. Matusiak made the run possible by reaching first on a fielder's choice.
Maddy Yeingst led the way with three hits and two RBI's.
Jamie Belfer and
Alexa Klepper earned two hits apiece. Sheflin was efficient from the mound as she pitched all seven innings, retiring seven batters on strikes, and surrendering only three hits.
Up Next:
F&M heads back to Pennsylvania to take on a twin bill versus Penn State-Harrisburg on Tuesday, Mar. 29 starting at 3:30 p.m..
