LANCASTER, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall baseball fell behind early and struggled to climb back into a 4-0 blanking at the hands of Elizabethtown at Caplan Field in non-conference play. The Diplomats (9-9) gave up three runs in the first on just one hit, then the Blue Jays (9-12) pitching stymied F&M bats the rest of the way. The loss cooled off the hot Diplomat bats, as F&M had scored 42 runs in the previous three games since returning from spring break.

Elizabethtown opened the game with two runs before recording an out, using a walk, a hit-by-pitch, a double steal, then a wild pitch to score the first run. An RBI single scored another, then a groundout to second plated the third for a 3-0 lead. F&M put Spencer Berson on third with two outs in the bottom half, but a Will Samuel strikeout to end the frame closed the book on trimming the deficit. The Diplomats did the same in the second, but a pop-out to the catcher again dashed F&M's chances.

The Blue Jays tacked on an insurance run in the fifth on a fielding error in right field for the 4-0 final.

F&M showed life in the bottom of the seventh, as pinch hitters Zach Masnikoff and Patrick Cettina both singled with one gone. A 6-4-3 taylor-made double play ended the inning and the F&M hopes, as the Diplomats went 1-2-3 in the final two frames to end it.

Spencer Berson, Jakob Hoffman, and Drew Butera had all three hits from F&M starters - one apiece.

Jason Schulman (1-1) took the loss, giving up three runs on just one hit across three innings of work. Charlie Wright stabilized things out of the pen, tossing four innings and allowing just the lone unearned run. Dan Galef continued to impress in relief, striking out three while recording four outs in the eighth.

The Diplomats now open Centennial Conference play with a doubleheader against McDaniel at home on Saturday afternoon, with opening pitches scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.