LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (3-1) split Saturday's non-conference doubleheader against Hobart (5-1) to open its home slate at Penn Medicine Park. The Diplomats blanked the Statesmen, 3-0, in game one, before falling to Hobart, 12-0, in game two.
 
Game 1: Franklin & Marshall 3, Hobart 0
The Diplomats earned their first shutout of the season behind stellar pitching performances by David McGeorge and Kiernan Keller. After F&M jumped ahead 3-0, the Diplomats limited the Statesmen to just four hits in the final four innings to take the victory in game one.

Franklin & Marshall rallied early in the bottom of the first, starting with Nick DiGiacomo ripping a single into left field. After DiGiacomo stole second, the sophomore came around to score on an RBI-single from Michael von Zuben to put the home team ahead, 1-0.

Nolan McCloskey got the bottom of the third started as he led off the frame with an infield single. The senior stole second and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. With runners at the corners and two outs in the inning, Zac Fuscaldo tallied an RBI-single to bring in F&M's second run of the day.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Diplomats used a two-out rally to drive in their third run. Von Zuben kept the inning alive with a double into left center field. The next batter, Matt Hollender singled into left field to drive home von Zuben and extend the F&M lead to 3-0.

Hollender led the Diplomats with three hits, while Fuscaldo, Nick Lorenzo, and von Zuben all recorded two hits each.

McGeorge (1-0) earned his first win of the season, striking out four and allowing six hits in 6.1 innings on the mound. Keller tallied his first save of the year as he struck out four and allowed just one hit in 2.2 innings of relief.
 
Game 2: Hobart 12, Franklin & Marshall 0
Errors plagued the Diplomats in game two as the home team was hit with five in the loss. F&M kept within striking distance until the Statesmen plated 10 runs in the eighth inning to split Saturday's doubleheader.

The Diplomats struggled to get runners on base in the contest, but F&M had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh. After two outs to start the frame, Tanner Wolpert kept the inning alive with a single up the middle of the infield. Landon Hallett also singled, while Lorenzo drew a walk to load the bases. Despite the two-out rally, Hobart got a strikeout to get out of the jam without any damage.

Hallett led F&M with two hits in the contest. The Diplomats also drew six walks as a team in the effort.

Colin Mackenzie (0-1) was tagged with the loss, striking out four and allowing two earned runs in six innings pitched.

Franklin & Marshall looks to take the series when it plays Hobart in game three on Sunday, starting at noon.