TUCSON, Ariz. - In a second consecutive triple header, the Franklin & Marshall Softball team defeated St. Catherine before losing to Eastern Connecticut State and Sul Ross State on day four of the Tucson Invitational Games. 

Franklin & Marshall 8, St. Catherine 3

Beginning the day on a high note, the Diplomats avenged their loss against the Wildcats from earlier this trip with an 8-3 win. Two at-bats into the contest, Jaden Spigner drilled a solo home run to give F&M the early lead. Later that inning, Kaitlin Herrick knocked in Nora Sidorski from second base with a RBI single to make it 2-0.

In the top of the third, Sidorski came to the plate with a runner on third base and slammed a ball over the fence for a two-run homerun, which double F&M's advantage. Then, with Kate Clement in scoring position with two outs, Madison Martin doubled to bring her home, after which Maddy Yeingst batted in Martin with a RBI single. St. Catherine did answer in the bottom half of the inning, though, as a lead-off single and a two-run homerun cut the deficit to four.

Continuing to chip away, the Wildcats made it a 6-3 game in the bottom of the fourth after an error and an RBI double brought home a third run.

The Diplomats opened the top of the fifth with a pair of runners in scoring position with nobody out, which led to a Yeingst ground out that was allowed Alexa Klepper to score. The very next at-bat, Sophia Noriega belted a RBI double to bring home Kaitlin Herrick and put an eighth run on the board for F&M.

Tossing 3.2 innings with two strikeouts and two earned runs allowed, Aliza Sheflin (2-0) logged the win. Sidorski batted 3-for-4 on the game with two RBI and two runs scored. 

Franklin & Marshall 1, Eastern Connecticut State 2

In a low-scoring battle, the Warriors edged out the Diplomats 2-1 after a late run scored in the top of the seventh. 

Ainsley McClure ran into a jam early on in the game, facing runners in scoring position with just one out in the top of the second. However, she managed to strike out the next batter and induce a foul out in the next at-bat to end the inning.

Two innings later, ESU put runners on second and third with nobody out, but a double steal attempt led to an out at home with the runner on second advancing to third. The run did end up scoring, however, as an error in the infield allowed Alyssa Vilchez to come home. 

F&M remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, in which Natalia Garza reached first on a bunt and advanced to third on an infield single by Spigner. Alexa Klepper then knocked in Garza on a RBI single to tie the game up at 1-1.

The Warriors jumped right back on top in the top of the seventh, though, as it put runners on first and second with two outs before a RBI single knocked in the go-ahead run.

Looking for a walk-off in the bottom of the inning, Ayla Steinbe got the frame started with a lead-off single. She then advanced to second on a ground out, before Noriega walked to reach first. In the next at-bat, Claire Sullivan grounded out to the pitcher, which allowed both runners to move up a base, putting both the tying and winning run in scoring position. With Garza at the plate, first-year also grounded out, which ended the game.

Despite throwing seven strong innings, McClure (2-2) suffered the loss after allowing two earned runs. 

Franklin & Marshall 1, Sul Ross State 3

Held to just one run for a second time in a row, the Diplomats dropped a 3-1 decision to the Lobos to end the day. 

After Sul Ross State put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the second, a double steal allowed the run to come home from third to give the Lobos the early lead. Two innings later, SRS loaded the bases before a passed ball on a strikeout brought home another run to make it 2-0.

Following a third run scoring for the Lobos in the bottom of the fifth, the Diplomats briefly rallied in the top of the sixth, which began with Garza reaching second base on an error. Sidorski then batted her in with a single and moved up to second base on the same play. However, F&M was unable to take advantage, ending the inning in the following at-bat.

Later down to their final out, Noriega roped a single in the bottom of the seventh to keep hope alive for the Diplomats. She was pinch ran for by Clement, who advanced to third base on a two-base error in the next at-bat. With the tying run in scoring position, Garza came to the plate as the winning run, but struck out to end the game.

Charlotte Dwyer (0-1) absorbed the loss after allowing two earned runs and striking out five batters in 3.1 innings of work. 

F&M will wrap up play at the Tucson Invitational Games tomorrow with a doubleheader against Texas-Dallas and Salve Regina at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (E.T.), respectively.