COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (17-10, 4-4 CC) secured a series split with Ursinus (17-10, 4-4 CC) in Friday afternoon's Centennial Conference (CC) game as the Diplomats overpowered the Bears, 17-13. F&M recorded its second-highest amount of both hits and runs in a single game this season as it tallied 20 hits for 17 runs in the victory. The Diplomats also registered 10 extra-base hits as a team in the win.

Ursinus took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but F&M responded immediately in the top of the second. Gideon Schwartz led off the frame with a walk, followed by an infield single by Nick Lorenzo. A sacrifice bunt from Zac Fuscaldo put both runners into scoring position for Schwartz to come home on a groundout, tying the game at 1-1. Vincent Mariniello kept the inning alive by sending an RBI-double down the right field line to give the Diplomats the lead. Owen Woodward capped the frame by slashing an RBI-single into center to give F&M a 3-1 advantage.

In the top of the third, Tanner Wolpert roped a triple to center field. Two batters later, Schwartz blasted his first-career home run over the left field wall to extend the Diplomats' lead to 5-1.

Franklin & Marshall continued to find success at the plate in the top of the fourth as Mariniello led off the frame with his second double of the game. Woodward followed with a single and later stole second to get two runners into scoring position. Michael von Zuben singled to right field to bring Mariniello home for the Diplomats' sixth run of the contest. The visitors loaded the bases for Schwartz to send a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Woodward to push the lead to six runs. Lorenzo wrapped up the inning with an infield single to plate von Zuben, extending the lead to 8-1.

The Bears clawed their way back into the game in the bottom of the fourth, pushing across seven runs on three hits to tie the score up at 8-8.

Franklin & Marshall came right back in the top of the fifth with Fuscaldo working a walk, followed by Landon Hallett hitting a single to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, Fuscaldo came home to score on a sacrifice fly from Woodward to give F&M a 9-8 advantage.

The teams matched each other offensively through the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings as both sides pushed across five runs apiece in that span. The Diplomats led 14-13 at the start of the top of the ninth as Schwartz laced a double down the left field line. Lorenzo followed with a single on a bunt to put runners at the corners with no outs. A bunt from Fuscaldo allowed Schwartz to score, cushioning the lead at 15-13. Two batters later, Mariniello cleared the bases with an RBI-triple to center field. The throw into the infield got away from the Ursinus third baseman and rolled out of play, allowing Mariniello to score to give F&M a 17-13 lead.

Lorenzo became just the fifth Diplomat in program history to record five hits in a single game as he ended the day 5-for-5 with a walk and two RBI. Mariniello followed with two doubles and one triple in the win. Schwartz ended the contest leading the Diplomats in RBI, driving-in three. Four Diplomats recorded three or more hits in the game, while six F&M players tallied multi-RBI performances.

Tanner Lewis (1-0) earned his first-career win, striking out one and allowing one earned run in 1.2 innings of relief. David McGeorge was tagged with a no-decision in his start as he struck out three and allowed five earned runs in 4.0 innings of work. Kiernan Keller closed out the game, tossing two strikeouts and getting a fly out in his 1.0 inning of relief.

Franklin & Marshall returns to Caplan Field on Saturday to host a doubleheader against McDaniel, starting at noon.