TUCSON, Ariz.- The Franklin & Marshall softball team (3-5) split Thursdays results at the Tucson Invitational games, defeating Salve Regina (1-4) in five innings by a score of 9-1, while Nelson (Ariz.) (6-14) defeated the Diplomats 6-2 to conclude the morning.
Game One
F&M was swift to secure their third win of the week over Salve Regina, defeating the Seahawks 9-1 in just five frames.
Alexa Klepper was a home run shy of completing the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and four RBI. Kate DelGrippo hit a pair of doubles with a walk and two runs scored, while Hillary Murse was 2-for-2 with three RBI. In the circle, Ainsley McClure earned her first win of the season, pitching the first four innings with no earned runs, two hits, a walk, and four strikeouts.
Nataliza Garza began the bottom of the first with a walk, and she soon advanced to second on a foul out. Klepper's double to left-center got F&M on the board.
F&M struck for four more runs in the second inning. Yet again, F&M made use of a leadoff walk, this time from Nora Sidorski, to begin the inning. DelGrippo doubled to center field, then a Murse fly ball to center was deep enough to bring one run home. Claire Sullivan singled then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position for Garza. She made used of an infield error to reach safely and bring a pair of runs home. Klepper capped scoring in the inning with a single up the middle for a 5-0 scoreline through two frames.
F&M added one run in the third inning, started by a two-out walk from Sidorski then another walk from DelGrippo. Both advanced a base on a wild pitch, and Sidorski scored on a Murse single to left field. The Diplomats reached the eight-run threshold with a two-run fourth inning. Garza and Gabby Mundy reached safely to begin the frame, then Klepper scored both runs on a triple to right field. Salve Regina kept the score at 8-0 by retiring the next three batters.
The Seahawks stayed alive in the fifth inning, scoring one run by forcing a bases-loaded walk. F&M walked off in the fifth inning to reach the run rule, as a DelGrippo double was followed by a Murse single to left field for a 9-1 final score.
Game Two
Nelson scored three runs apiece in the fourth and sixth innings while keeping F&M's offense to just two runs.
Megan Wiarda had both of the Diplomats' RBI, going 1-for-4. DelGrippo was 1-for-3 with a double, while Erika Stewart went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
A Stewart walk began the contest, and an error on Grace Header's sacrifice bunt attempt put runners on the corner with no one out. Wiarda hit a ball deep enough right field to score Stewart from third, although the next two batters were retired.
In the bottom of the first, DelGrippo struck out the side while stranding a runner on second base following a one-out double. Both pitchers were cruising through the second and third innings as there was just one hit and two base runners combined across the two frames.
F&M got a couple of runners aboard in the fourth inning via singles from Sidorski and Ayla Steinberg, but the Diplomats were unable to register a run. The Warriors posted three runs in the fourth inning. A walk and infield error began the inning and put two runners in scoring position. Two batters later, a single scored one run. The last two runs came with two out and a pair of runners in scoring position, as a single to the left side brought a pair of runners home before a groundout ended the inning.
The Diplomats got two runners into scoring position with two outs via DelGrippo double and Spigner single with an advance to second base on a throw. Nelson's pitcher drew a popout to escape with a two run lead. Execution in the circle proved key for the Warriors, as they doubled their advantage with three runs in the sixth inning, making use of two hits, two walks, and a few passed balls/wild pitches.
Down to their last out in the seventh, F&M was able to get three straight runners on base as Stewart, Header, and Wiarda all singled to load the bases, although a strikeout ended the contest.
The Diplomats wrap up their Tucson Invitational Games stint tomorrow with games against Viterbo (Wis.) at 2:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m MST) and Dickinson State (N.D.) at 4:00 p.m. EST (1:00 p.m MST).
