Diplomats Rank Eighth in May 12 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Baseball Poll

by Sports Information
5/13/05

LANCASTER, PA – The Franklin & Marshall College baseball team is ranked eighth in the May 12 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region baseball poll.

Ranked sixth in the May 9 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Poll, the Diplomats won the 2005 Centennial Conference championship over #8 regionally ranked Johns Hopkins University by taking games one and three of the best of three series with runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

In game one, right-hander Ted Serro (Jr., Brooklyn, NY/Xavier) pitched a 1-0 six hit shutout with six strikeouts, while Jeff Rowand (So., York, PA/Dallastown) drove a pinch hit double down the right field to score Stephen Frederick (Jr., Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) with the winning run.

In game three, the Diplomats rode the arm of lefthander EJ Leary (Jr., Seymour, CT/Seymour) who did not allow a hit in four and two thirds innings before allowing an RBI double to Paul Long. In the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied at 3-3, Jon Compitello (Jr., Yardley, PA/George School) led the inning off with a single before being replaced by pinch runner Andy Anderson (Fr., East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick). Frederick worked a pinch-hit walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a pop up and a strike out, Tommy Miller (Fr., York, PA/Central York) lined a single to center field to score Anderson with the winning run for the 2005 title.

The championship marks the third in school history as Franklin & Marshall last won the Centennial Conference title 10 years ago in 1995 as the Diplomats recorded a 30-6-1 record to win the regular season by three games over McDaniel College and earn the second conference title in school history. In 1978, the Diplomats finished 14-11-1 to win the Middle Atlantic Conference championship.

Rowan University leads the regional poll, followed by Kean University, DeSales University, Alvernia College, The College of New Jersey, Johns Hopkins University, Messiah College and the Diplomats.

Franklin & Marshall (25-14, 15-3 Centennial Conference) will continue the season next week as the NCAA championship field and regional site locations will be announced on May 16.

NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Baseball Poll (May 12)
1. Rowan
2. Kean
3. DeSales
4. Alvernia
5. New Jersey
6. Johns Hopkins
7. Messiah
8. Franklin & Marshall