LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (17-14, 4-8 CC) was held off by Washington College (19-15, 7-5 CC), 6-5, in Friday afternoon's Centennial Conference (CC) game at Caplan Field. The Diplomats faced an early four-run deficit, but came all the way back to get within a run of tying the Shoremen. Despite the late rally from F&M, Washington College turned away the Diplomats to complete the sweep in the series.

The Shoremen broke into the scoring column first with three runs in the third and one run in the fourth to take a 4-0 advantage. In the bottom of the fourth inning, F&M's offense went to work as the Diplomats loaded the bases with two outs in the frame. Landon Hallett delivered with a single into center field to score two and cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Diplomats continued to rally back in the bottom of the fifth as Ethan Conklin led off the inning with a single. Conklin moved his way to third on a sacrifice bunt from Nick Lorenzo, followed by a wild pitch. That set up von Zuben to slash a single into right field to score Conklin to get F&M within a run. After von Zuben advanced to second on an error, the senior came around to score on a game-tying RBI-single from Tanner Wolpert.

Washington College regained the lead in the top of the seventh as it scored two runs on three hits, including a lead-off homer to take a 6-4 advantage in the contest.

F&M responded in the bottom-half of the frame as Matt Hollender kept the inning alive with a two-out walk. A single from Owen Woodward, followed by a walk to Gideon Schwartz loaded the bases. An error on the infield during the next at-bat allowed Hollender to score, trimming the Shoremen lead to 6-5.

The Diplomats had one final shot of tying the game in the ninth as Hollender reached base on a throwing error and advanced to second with one out in the frame. However, two-consecutive groundouts ended the game as Washington College hung on to sweep the series.

Von Zuben led F&M with two hits, while Hallett drove in a team-high two RBI in the contest.

Rohan Shah (1-1) was hit with the loss, striking out one and allowing two earned runs in 1.0 inning of relief. Kiernan Keller earned a no-decision in his start as he tied his season-high in strikeouts with six, while allowing three earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched. Sebastian Holl finished the game on the mound, striking out one and allowing zero runs in 2.2 innings of relief.

Franklin & Marshall hits the road to take on Dickinson on Saturday in a doubleheader, starting at noon.