|
LANCASTER, PA – Franklin & Marshall College first baseman Pat O’Reilly (So., Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) went three-for-four with three runs scored and two runs batted in, while starting pitchers Jeremy Knox (Sr., Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) and EJ Leary (Sr., Wilton, CT/Wilton) earned victories as the Diplomats defeated Endicott College 5-1 and 6-0 in non-conference baseball at Caplan Field. The wins complete a three game sweep of Endicott (0-3, 0-0 Cape Cod Conference) by the Diplomats (9-3, 0-0 Centennial Conference) as Franklin & Marshall opened its home slate with a 10-6 win over the Gulls on March 18. In game one, Knox went six innings allowing one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts, while O’Reilly was one-for-two with two runs scored and a walk in a 5-1 win. The Diplomats gave all Knox he would need to earn the win in the first inning as Rob Stern (So., Franklin Lakes, NJ/Indian Hills) doubled to right centerfield and O’Reilly was hit by a pitch with one out. Stern stole third base and scored on a throwing error by Endicott starting pitcher Mike Daggett, while O’Reilly advanced to second base. Gary Kruger (Sr., East Islip, NY/East Islip) tripled to score O’Reilly and came into score on an RBI single by Corey Caruthers (Sr., Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) for a 3-0 lead. Endicott struck for a run in the third inning as Kevin Donahue reached on an error, moved to second on a single by Steve Vidmosko, stole third base and scored on a wild pitch to trim the Diplomats lead to 3-1. Neither team could break through again until the sixth as Stern singled, stole second base, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a single by O’Reilly. Kruger and Caruthers singled to load the bases and Dan Hanecak (Sr., Conestoga, PA/Lancaster Catholic) hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed O’Reilly to score for the 5-1 final. At the plate, Stern finished three-for-four with two runs scored, while Caruthers went three-for-four and Kruger finished two-for-four with a run scored and an RBI. For Endicott, Vidmosko went two-for-three to account for half of the Gulls’ hits, while Daggett took the loss allowing three runs on nine hits and two walks with a strikeout. On the mound, Dan Tischler (So., New York, NY/Horace Mann) finished the game for the Diplomats pitching the seventh allowing one hit. In game two, the Diplomats scored pairs of runs in the first, second and fifth innings to give Leary all he need as Franklin & Marshall blanked the Gulls 6-0. Leary went five innings in the game allowing two walks and no hits as he struck out nine of 16 batters faced, before Jeff Rowand (Jr., York, PA/Dallastown) finished the game with two innings of two hit relief as the Diplomats improved to 9-3 on the year. The Diplomats opened the scoring in the first inning as Eric Milavsky (Sr., Medford, NJ/Shawnee) singled, stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Stern to center field. Stern came into score two batters later following a single by O’Reilly as Kruger lofted a sacrifice fly to right field for a 2-0 lead. Franklin & Marshall added to the margin in the second inning as the Diplomats loaded the bases with one out. Stern singled to left field to score Tom Miller (So., York, PA/Central York) and O’Reilly drove in Billy McGuire (Jr., Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) with a sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 4-0 lead. The team added a pair of runs in the fifth inning for the 6-0 final score as O’Reilly and Kruger singled with one out to put runners on first and second. Caruthers singled to left centerfield to drive in O’Reilly and Hanecak pushed home Kruger with a sacrifice fly to right field. Endicott broke up the Diplomats no-hitter bid in the sixth as Abe Bellini singled to center field with one out. The Gulls added another hit in the seventh on a single by Dan Gomez as only four Endicott batters reached base safely against Leary and Rowand. On the mound, six of Leary’s nine strikeouts caught the batter looking, including four consecutive K’s to close the top of the third inning and account for all three outs in the fourth inning. In the three game series against Endicott at Caplan on March 18-19, the Diplomats’ pitching staff recorded a 1.57 ERA with a .139 opponents batting average and 27 strikeouts, including 12 by Serro in his game one victory. Franklin & Marshall will continue the season on March 21 at Messiah College. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.
|
