LANCASTER, Pa.- The Franklin & Marshall softball team (6-8) earned a split in Thursday's doubleheader against Lancaster Bible (7-6), bouncing back from a 6-4 loss in the first game with a 12-4 victory in six innings in the finale.

Game One

F&M was unable to erase a six-run deficit entering the sixth inning, falling 6-4 in the first game of today's doubleheader against the Chargers.

Kate DelGrippo accounted for three of F&M's runs with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, while Lauren Steiner hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and one run scored. In the circle, Ainsley McClure didn't allow a baserunner in three innings of relief. 

Alex Kilpatrick stranded a runner in scoring position in the first frame following a one-out double, while F&M first applied pressure with a leadoff double from Steiner followed by DelGrippo getting hit in the bottom of the second inning. A sacrifice bunt from Abby Favazza advanced the runners one base, but a lineout double play to the shortstop brought the inning to an abrupt end.

The Chargers opened the scoring in the third inning, rallying for two runs with two outs. A single, infield error, and hit batter loaded the bases, while two runs crossed the plate on a single up the middle. The deficit was kept at two runs thanks to a lineout to Morgan Risnychok at shortstop.

Lancaster Bible struck for four runs in the fourth inning, opening the frame on a sequence of a walk, back-to-back doubles, and a single to bring three runs across the plate before an out was recorded. They brought one more run home on a two-out single before a lineout ended the inning.

Both offenses were kept quiet until F&M's three-run sixth inning, as the Diplomats utilized a two-out infield error from Lancaster Bible. Risnychok reached on the error, while Steiner's double put two runners aboard for DelGrippo's homer over the center-field fence.

F&M again used the gift of a two-out error in the seventh inning, scoring one more run on a Risnychok single. Steiner represented the winning run when she hit an infield single that spun back across the first-base foul line, although a rundown between third and home brought the game to a close.

Game Two

Sara Hess's three-hit, four-RBI performance led the way in a 12-4 rout of the Chargers in six innings to secure a series split.

She went 3-for-4 with four RBI, one double, and one run scored. Grace Header was 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs scored, and one sacrifice fly. Nora Sidorski went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, while Risnychok hit 1-for-4 with two RBI. In the circle, DelGrippo earned a complete-game win after pitching all six frames with four earned runs, 11 hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

The Chargers stormed out of the gate in the first inning, hitting three-consecutive doubles to quickly put the Diplomats two runs behind. A third run crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly. With runners on the corners with one out, Megan Wiarda's throw to second base denied a potential stolen base, while a groundout kept the damage to three runs.

F&M directly responded in the bottom of the first following a leadoff infield error. Hess plated the runner on a double to the left-center gap, while she crossed the plate two at-bats later following back-to-back infield groundouts, as Steiner earned the RBI. 

The Chargers added one more run with two outs in the second inning on a sequence of a walk and two singles, ultimately completing their scoring output.

Yet again, F&M cashed in on a one-out error to begin a three-run second inning. Following that outfield error, back-to-back singles from Madison Martin and Sidorski plated one run, while Header tied a game on a sacrifice fly to the right-center gap. Hess completed scoring in the frame with a single up the middle to give F&M a 5-4 lead.

F&M expanded their lead in the fourth inning in a frame that included two errors from the Chargers. The second error loaded the bases for Risnychok who hit a ball to the left-center gap to score two runs before a groundout ended the inning.

F&M scored three more runs with two outs in the fifth inning, ending just one run shy of the run rule. On a run of three-consecutive singles, Sidorski and Header plated one run apiece while Hess brought two runners across the plate.

Steiner opened the bottom of the sixth with a single before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Wiarda ended the contest with a single to left-field to reach the run rule.

Up Next

The Diplomats travel to Schuylkill Haven to face Penn State Schuylkill on Saturday, March 28, starting at noon.