LANCASTER, Pa.- The Franklin & Marshall softball team (7-12, 2-2 Centennial) earned a pair of one-run sweeps against Haverford (12-12, 2-4 Centennial) on Saturday afternoon, earning a 3-2 win in the first game before winning, 12-11, in a nine-inning thriller to conclude the day.
Game One
After the Fords tired the game in the top of the sixth, Grace Header would score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth to give the Diplomats the go-ahead run in a 3-2 victory.
Ainsley McClure notched a complete game win, pitching all seven innings with two earned runs, five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Jaden Spigner had a solo homer, while Alexa Klepper and Sophia Noriega each had a pair of singles. Kate DelGrippo also recorded one RBI on a single for the Diplomats.
Haverford got on the board first in the second inning, making use of a leadoff walk to sacrifice the runner to second base before a single up the middle scored a run. Spigner directly countered with her solo home run clearing the left-field fence to tie the game at one-each.
The Diplomats got three runners on-base with three-straight singles. DelGrippo brought one runner in on a two-single up the middle, although Haverford caught the runner from second base in between third and home plate. F&M had a chance to add to their 2-0 lead in the fifth inning, loading the bases with two outs on a pair of singles and a walk, although Haverford kept the gap to 2-1 with a flyout.
Haverford made use of the prior escape by tying the game in the top of the sixth. Yet again, they took advantage of a leadoff runner by advancing them via a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, a single down the right-field line scored one run.
The Diplomats broke the 2-2 deadlock in the bottom half of the inning; Header doubled and Claire Sullivan singled to put runners on the corners. With the next batter up, a wild pitch brought Header home.
McClure recorded two outs to begin the seventh then. Haverford found life with a single before the runner was caught stealing to end game one.
Game Two
In a game that featured 23 runs, 22 hits, and six errors across nine innings, Gabby Mundy's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth proved the game winner in a back-and-forth contest.
Mundy led the offense with a 3-for-5 performance with three RBI, one run scored, and a stolen base. Klepper was 2-for-3 with three RBI, one walk, and one run scored. Spigner had another strong game, going 2-for-5 with two RBI, a double, and one run scored.
DelGrippo earned the win, giving up just one unearned run over 2.2 innings of service, stranding 1-of-2 of the extra-innings runners.
The Diplomats led 7-0 through three innings, but Haverford reduced the gap with six runs in the fourth inning. F&M built their lead back to 9-6 with two runs in the fifth inning, and they held that gap heading into the seventh.
The Fords found life with a four-run seventh to claim their first lead of the afternoon.. After loading the bases with one out, a pair of runs scored on a single up the middle. From there, two more runs would eventually score on a walk with the bases loaded and a single to right field, giving the visitors a 10-9 lead to defend.
The Diplomats made use of a leadoff error to get the leadoff runner aboard. Mundy singled to right field to put runners on the corners, while Klepper singled the game-tying run in. With the game-winning runner, Mundy, at third base with one out, Haverford would draw a ground ball and execute a tag at the plate to preserve a tie. A flyout from the next batter sent the game to extra innings.
Haverford began the eighth by bunting their free runner over to third base via sacrifice. They brought the runner home a batter later on an RBI groundout to the left side, and they were unable to get a runner back into scoring position that inning. F&M also used a sacrifice bunt to move the runner over. Megan Wiarda tied the game with a single to third base to bring the run in, while Hillary Murse walked to get two runners aboard. The rally was thwarted with a lineout double play to send the contest to a ninth inning.
The Fords again laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, but DelGrippo escaped the frame with a pair of strikeouts to give the Diplomats a clear chance at the sweep.
Catie Kozub executed a successful sacrifice bunt, then Mundy hit a ball to center field that was deep enough for a comfortable tag-up by Nora Sidorski at third base.
The Diplomats continue their home stand by hosting Muhlenberg on Tuesday, April 8, at 3:00 p.m.
