CLERMONT, Fla. – The Franklin & Marshall softball team resumed its busy Florida schedule on Thursday morning. The Diplomats looked alive and sharp after the day break as they scored seven runs during the bottom of the first against Geneseo before the Knights answered with 16 of their own over their seven innings at the plate. F&M then dropped a crushing 3-2 walk-off versus Springfield to close the afternoon.

Geneseo 16, Franklin & Marshall 7

The Diplomats played as the home team during Thursday's opener and the Knights were able to take advantage of their first time up to bat as they struck for three runs in the top of the first. However, that was nothing compared to the damage the F&M did in the bottom half of that inning. By the time the Diplomats were finally retired in the first, they had registered 10 hits to score their seven runs.

The first eight Diplomats up to bat each recorded a hit before it took a caught stealing for the Knights to record a defensive out. A single from Devon Witt and double from Jaden Spigner put two runners in scoring position very early. Kaitlin Herrick singled home the first run and then executed a double steal with Spigner to make it 2-0. Subsequent singles from Kat Gunther and Claire Sullivan loaded the bases before Toni Williams cleared them with a double to make it 5-0. That blow also prompted a pitching change from Geneseo.

Despite the change in the circle, Megan Wiarda kept the hits coming with an RBI single, but was caught stealing for the first out of the inning. Singles from Riley Williams, Witt, and Spigner made it 10 hits in the first 11 at-bats before Geneseo finally escaped the bottom of the first. Unfortunately for the Diplomats, the offensive production in this game was far from finished as the Knights totaled 17 hits for the contest, scoring three runs in the first, second, and fifth innings, two in the fourth, and five more in the seventh.

Franklin & Marshall's offense totaled 14 hits, led by a 3-for-4 game out of the leadoff spot from Witt. Spigner, Gunther, and Williams each added multiple hits to the Diplomat lineup.

Springfield 3, Franklin & Marshall 2

Although it was not the massive offensive outburst of game one, the Diplomats were also out to the early lead in their second game of the day as singles from Toni Williams and Riley Williams put runners on the corners during the top of the second inning. Riley was able to swipe second and draw the throw that got away from the shortstop and allowed Toni to score for the 1-0 lead.

Strong pitching from Aliza Sheflin kept the Pride off the base paths for most of the afternoon, but Springfield did manage a key two-out knock during the bottom of the third that allowed them to take a 2-1 advantage. A single from Jensen Macaulay and double from Kat Gunther had F&M back in business during the top of the fourth. They would take advantage of that chance and tie the game on an RBI groundout from Claire Sullivan.

The Pride had just one runner on base in the fifth inning, but Sheflin was able to get out of that inning with no damage before retiring the side in succession during the sixth. Nevertheless, the Springfield pitching was equally up to the test during the final innings and a ball over the left fielder's head in the bottom of the seventh was the only break the Pride needed to eventually push across the game-winning run in walk-off fashion.

Franklin & Marshall will wrap up its week in Florida on Saturday with games against Lake Forest (9 a.m.) and Kalamazoo (2 p.m.) Both of those contests will be played at the DiamondPlex Fields.