SCRANTON, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall baseball split a twin bill against Scranton in non-conference action on Saturday, taking the first game 8-5 before dropping the second 7-2. The Diplomats (3-2) plated seven in the third inning in game one, then gave up the same number of runs to the Royals (2-1-1) through three innings in the rubber match.

Game One: F&M 8, Scranton 5

Both sides stuck runners in scoring position through the first two innings, but it took until F&M blew the doors off in the third for either side to get on the board.

After a Tommy Denlinger walk to open the frame, AJ Desautels ripped a two run blast to left to kickstart the inning. Bobby Falese followed with a solo shot of his own to run the scoring to 3-0. Jakob Hoffman continued the hit parade with a single to left, then rounded for home on a Patrick Cettina single to make it 4-0. After chasing the Royals' starter, the Diplomats stuck it to his replacement - Pat Elliott was hit by a pitch, then Stephen Rizzo knocked a three-run blast over the wall in left center to give F&M a 7-0 lead.

The inning marked the first time since at least 2008 that F&M hit back-to-back homers, and the first three home run game for the squad since they hit three against New Jersey City in 2019.

Scranton pulled one back on a dinger of their own in the bottom of the third, then added two more on an RBI triple in the bottom half of the fourth to narrow the gap to 7-3. The Royals nearly struck again in the fifth after loading the bases with only one out, but Dan Galef forced a pop-out and struck out a pinch hitter to end the inning.

Desautels got on the board again, sending Spencer Berson home from third on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 8-3. Scranton worked back-to-back walks to open its half of the frame, knocking one home on a single to left center. The damage nearly continued, but a strong throw from Jakob Hoffman nabbed the lead runner at third, and two straight fielders choices ended the inning.

The Royals threatened again in the seventh, as Galef got into a two-out jam, giving up a run and ultimately bringing the tying run to the plate. Stephen Turzai punched out his lone batter looking for the deciding out.

The heart of the order came up big for the Diplomats, as the 3-4-5 hitters of Bobby Falese, Jakob Hoffman, and Patrick Cettina all went 2-4, with Falese and Cettina notching RBIs. Desautels finished 1-2 with three RBI, while Rizzo plated three with his homer. Spencer Berson also notched a multi-hit game, finishing 2-3. Eight different Diplomats crossed home plate in the victory.

Chris Sanzone picked up the win, going four innings and allowing just two hits and three earned runs. Stephen Turzai earned his first save of the year - now tied for ninth in Diplomat history with five all-time.

Game Two: Scranton 7, F&M 2

Scranton picked on the F&M pitching staff early and often, plating seven in the first three innings of the contest. The Royals plated an unearned one in the first, then smashed a three-run dinger in the bottom of the second.

Bobby Falese made it five straight games with an RBI, knocking home Tommy Denlinger in the top of the third to make it 4-1 Scranton.

The wheels came off in the bottom of the frame, as Scranton chased Kyle Roche after an RBI single with two outs. Scranton then knocked in two more off consecutive singles to finish off its scoring, and extending its lead to 7-1.

Greg Nieskens settled down in the next two innings, sitting down eight straight batters between the fourth and sixth to give the Diplomats a chance - but the F&M offense only mustered a Steven Rizzo RBI double the rest of the way.

Tommy Denlinger and Steven Rizzo each hit doubles in the contest. Kyle Roche (0-1) earned the loss, tossing 2.2 innings, giving up seven hits and six runs (five earned). Greg Nieskens threw another extended run out of the pen, striking out four in three innings of relief.

Up Next:

F&M packs up for sunny Florida, playing ten games in a week of spring break baseball, starting on Saturday, Mar. 12 against Ohio Northern beginning at 9:30 a.m.