READING, Pa.- The Franklin & Marshall softball team (12-16, 4-4 Centennial Conference) fell in both of Sunday's games at Alvernia (12-16, 5-5 MAC Commonwealth), losing 7-0 in game one and 4-2 in the second game.

Game One

The F&M offense was kept scoreless in a 7-0 loss to open the day. Alvernia scored two runs in the second before adding five insurance runs in the fourth.

Gabby Mundy led the offensive production, hitting 3-for-3, while Sara Hess, Ellie LoPiccolo, and Abby Favazza all recorded one single apiece.

Kate DelGrippo pitched the last three innings in relief, allowing one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts.

Alvernia began the first with a leadoff single, although Favazza's throw to second caught the runner stealing. The Golden Wolves countered with two more singles, but a pair of ground balls kept the game at 0-0.

Two Diplomats reached safely in the second inning on back-to-back one-out errors, but that was followed by two flyouts.

Alvernia scored their first two runs in the bottom of the second. Yet again, the leadoff runner reached on a single, while sacrifice bunt advanced the runner 60 feet. Consecutive two-out singles each brought one run home before a groundout closed the frame. 

Mundy began the third inning with an infield single and was moved to second thanks to a Morgan Risnychok sacrifice bunt, but Mundy got no further. 

Alvernia scored five more runs in the sixth inning. The first two runners recorded singles to put runners on the corners, and the first run crossed the plate on a successful double steal. The second run of the inning scored one at-bat later with a single to right center, while two more runners crossed the plate on a triple down the left-field line. The Golden Wolves wrapped up scoring on a sacrifice fly for a 7-0 lead, stranding the runner needed to activate the run rule on second base.

F&M looked to get on the board in the fifth inning following singles from Mundy and Hess, but a double play ended the frame. The Diplomats recorded one single apiece in the sixth and seventh innings but were unable to snap the shutout, falling 7-0.

Game Two

After earning a 2-1 lead over the Golden Wolves through the top of the second, Alvernia totaled three runs in the next two innings to hand F&M a 4-2 defeat to conclude the doubleheader.

Grace D'Angelo pitched all six innings for the Diplomats, allowing two earned runs on 12 hits and five walks with three strikeouts, stranding 14 runners on base.

LoPiccolo was 2-for-3 with one double and one run scored, while Erika Stewart reached base safely three times on a pair of singles and one walk with a stolen base.

Alvernia kicked off the bottom of the first with a leadoff triple, and a single from the next batter quickly put them one run ahead. Two more runners reached safely to load the bases with one out, but D'Angelo left the bases loaded on back-to-back popups.

F&M claimed the lead in the top of the second with two runs scoring on a two-out infield error. A leadoff single from LoPiccolo, a one-out walk from Megan Wiarda, and a two-out single from Hillary Murse loaded the bases. Mia Lanter's ball to the first baseman forced an error that allowed two runs to score to put F&M ahead, 2-1.

Alvernia added one run in the second inning. While the leadoff runner was caught stealing by Wiarda, the Golden Wolves then put two runners on base via a hit batter and walk. A single up the middle plated the tying run before a flyout and groundout stranded two runners.

Stewart looked to reclaim the lead following her one-out single and steal to get into scoring position, but she was left at third base after a pair of groundouts.

The Golden Wolves were able to take the lead back with two runs in the third inning. The first two runners reached safely on a single and infield error before a sacrifice bunt put two runners into scoring position. The go-ahead run scored on an RBI groundout to the right side, while Alvernia went 4-2 ahead on a single to left field.

F&M got a runner into scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth but was unable to reduce the deficit to the hosts. D'Angelo stranded a total of seven Alvernia runners to keep the margin at 4-2, but the Diplomats were ultimately unable to reduce the deficit. 

Up Next

The Diplomats are on the road again for Tuesday's doubleheader against Gettysburg, starting at 3:00 p.m.