WHITTIER, Calif. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (8-5) improved to eight wins on the season as it overpowered Whittier (4-10), 8-6, Tuesday evening at Hugh B. Mendez Stadium. Trailing 6-5, F&M plated two runs in the final two innings to come away with the win.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when Matt Hollender hit his third home run of the season over the center field wall to give the Diplomats a 1-0 lead.

The Poets pieced together three hits to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth, but F&M came right back in the top of the fifth. Andrew Filippelli reached on an error, followed by Nolan McCloskey ripping a double down the right field line to put two runners in scoring position. The next batter, AJ Desautels cleared the bases by blasting his second home run of the year over the left field fence to give the visitors a 4-1 advantage. After a Whittier pitching change, Bobby Falese doubled and later advanced to third on a wild pitch. A groundout during the next at-bat allowed Falese to score, cushioning the lead at 5-1.

The Poets didn't go away quietly as they fought back with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-5 advantage.

In the top of the eighth, Matt Hollender walked and Tanner Wolpert singled to put two runners on with two outs. Filippelli then singled to center field to score Hollender and tie the game at 6-6.
Gideon Schwartz followed with a single of his own to plate Wolpert, giving Franklin & Marshall a 7-6 lead. F&M added insurance in the top of the ninth as a sacrifice fly from Michael von Zuben scored Nick Lorenzo to push the lead to 8-6.

Six different Diplomats recorded at least one RBI with Desautels bringing in three RBI on the home run. McCloskey led F&M in hits with two in the victory.

The F&M bullpen was lights-out in the win, allowing no hits or runs in five innings of work. Colin Mackenzie (1-0) earned the win, striking out three and allowing just one walk in four innings-pitched. Sebastian Holl claimed his first-career save as he struck out one batter in his one inning of relief. Kiernan Keller was hit with a no-decision in his second start of the season, striking out three and allowing four earned runs in four innings on the mound.

Franklin & Marshall gets a rest day on Wednesday before starting a three-game series with No. 10 La Verne on Thursday. Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. PST).