DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (8-3) earned its second run-rule victory of the RussMatt Invitational as it overpowered SUNY Fredonia (1-7), 18-3, in Monday evening's contest. F&M jumped ahead with a nine-run fourth inning and didn't slow down as it cruised to a mercy-rule win for the fourth time this season.

The Blue Devils plated a run in the bottom of the third, but the Diplomats responded in a big way in the top of the fourth. After Michael von Zuben led off the frame with a triple, Tanner Wolpert roped a double down the right field line to tie the game at 1-1. Nick Lorenzo walked to set up a sacrifice bunt from Landon Hallett. A throwing error on the Fredonia pitcher allowed Hallett to reach base, while Wolpert scored to give the Diplomats a 2-1 lead. The next batter, Vincent Mariniello singled on a bunt to score Lorenzo and give F&M a 3-1. The Diplomats continued finding success with small ball as an error in the infield and another sacrifice bunt led to two more runs for F&M. With the bases loaded and two outs, Wolpert ripped a triple into right field to extend the lead to 8-1. Matt Hollender followed with an RBI-double to give the Diplomats a 9-1 advantage.

Franklin & Marshall rallied with two outs in the top of the fifth, starting with a single up the middle of the infield from Noah Ford. After Tommy Truzzolino walked, Nolan McCloskey singled into left field to score Ford for F&M's 10th run of the game. The Diplomats loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed Truzzolino to score to grow the lead to 10. Wolpert knocked a double down the left field line to score two and give F&M a 13-1 lead.

Fredonia narrowed the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Diplomats came right back in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded, von Zuben legged out an infield single to score Ford from third. The throw escaped the Blue Devils' first baseman to allow Truzzolino to score to push the lead to 12. Enrico Tufano later singled to score Ethan Conklin to give Franklin & Marshall a 16-3 lead.

Mariniello, von Zuben, and Wolpert all tallied three hits each with Wolpert recording three extra-base hits in the contest. Wolpert also notched a team-high six RBI, which is one shy of tying the program's single-game record.

Dax Bush (1-0) earned his first-career win on the mound as he struck out two and didn't allow a base runner in 1.1 innings of relief. Will O'Connor was solid in his start, striking out six and allowing one earned run in 4.0 innings of work.

Franklin & Marshall takes on Scranton on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.