CARLISLE, Pa. – Battling for a playoff spot with the regular season entering its final week, the Franklin & Marshall baseball team (17-18, 9-6 CC) earned a crucial 9-3 win on the road at Dickinson (24-9, 11-4 CC) on Tuesday afternoon. The Diplomats jumped out to an early advantage and never looked back as they extended their lead to as much as seven in the game.

In the top of the first, Spencer Berson singled through the left side of the infield and later advanced to second on an error during a pickoff attempt. An infield single from Jakob Hoffman put runners at the corners for Bobby Falese to deliver an RBI-single for the first run of the game.

Dickinson responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first, but F&M went right back to work in the top of the second. Patrick Cettina ripped a two-out single and immediately stole second to put himself into scoring position. Michael von Zuben then singled to center field to score Cettina to reclaim the lead for F&M, 2-1. The Diplomats continued adding-on in the top of the fourth as Matt Hollender scored on a fielder's choice to push the lead to 3-1.

With two outs the top of the fifth, F&M had Falese and AJ Desautels in scoring position for Andrew Filippelli to bring both runners home on a two-RBI single into center field to give the Diplomats a four-run cushion. Franklin & Marshall would then plate two more runs across the next two innings on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk to lead 8-1.

Dickinson scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to cut F&M's lead to 8-2. The Diplomats answered in the top of the eighth as Falese rocketed a solo home run over the left field fence for his fifth homer of the season - making the score 9-2.

Falese, Filippelli, and von Zuben all tallied two hits in the win. Von Zuben led the game with three RBI, while Falese and Filippelli each recorded two.

Dan Galef (5-3) earned his fifth win of the season as he didn't allow an earned run in his 2.2 innings of relief. Kiernan Keller earned a no-decision, but was solid in his start – striking out two and allowing just one earned run in 3.1 innings pitched.

Franklin & Marshall returns to Clipper Magazine Stadium to host Dickinson on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.