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SWARTHMORE, PA – Franklin & Marshall College starting pitcher Jeff Rowand (So., York, PA/Dallastown) went eight innings allowing three runs on fours hits and four walks with six strikeouts to pick up the win, and Dan Tischler (Fr., New York, NY/Horace Mann) came on to pitch a perfect ninth inning for a save as the Diplomats knocked off Swarthmore College 5-3 in Centennial Conference baseball at Clothier Field. The win improves F&M to 18-13 on the season, 11-3 in Centennial Conference play, as the Diplomats remain in first place in the Centennial Conference. Trailing 1-0 following a Swarthmore (5-19, 3-11 Centennial Conference) run in the second inning, the Diplomats took the lead as Stephen Frederick (Jr., Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) singled and Dan Hanecak (Jr., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) doubled to right center field to put runners on second and third with one out. Scott Haft (Sr., Jupiter, FL/Jupiter) lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Frederick and move Hanecak to third base. Corey Caruthers (Jr., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) reached on an error by Garnet first baseman Jody Fisher as Hanecak came into score for a 2-0 Diplomats lead.
Franklin & Marshall added to the lead in the sixth as Gary
Kruger (Jr., East Islip, NY/East Islip) reached and advanced
to second base on a fielding error by Swarthmore third baseman
Scott Dalane. Frederick singled to plate Kruger to push the
lead to 3-1 before moving to third on another fielding error
by Dalane on a ground ball by Hanecak. Hanecak stole second
base and Frederick stole home on a double steal for a 4-1
lead.
The Diplomats’ fifth run came in the eighth as Kruger walked before stealing second and third base and scoring on an error by Dalane. The Garnet made the game interesting in the bottom of the eighth as Swarthmore scored two unearned runs to cut the Diplomats’ lead to 5-3. However, Tischler came on in the ninth to retire the side on a strikeout, and fly outs to left field and center field to preserve the win and record his third save of the season. For the Diplomats, Frederick led the way going two-for-four with two runs scored and an RBI, while Haft recorded Franklin & Marshall’s other run batted in. Jared Leiderman took the loss for Swarthmore allowing five runs on three hits and two walks in nine innings with nine strikeouts. Franklin & Marshall (18-13, 11-3 Centennial Conference) will return to action on April 23 at home versus Muhlenberg College in a Centennial Conference doubleheader. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m. at Caplan Field.
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