Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Eric Milavsky went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored as Franklin & Marshall pounded out 11 runs on 17 hits to secure an 11-7 Centennial Conference (CC) baseball victory over Gettysburg on Tuesday.

Brian Pernice (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) and Mike Luteran (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) combined for six of the Bullets' 16 hits.

Starter Dan Armstrong (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown) lasted four batters in the third inning to pick up the loss for Gettysburg (10-10-1, 3-4 CC). Scott Solomon improved to 5-0 for the Diplomats (15-8, 7-1 CC), pitching six innings and striking out three.

Franklin & Marshall got all of its runs in the second and third innings, plating four in the second before exploding for seven more in the third to open an 11-3 lead and hold off a late charge by the Bullets for the win.

After Armstrong retired the first four Diplomat hitters he faced, Gary Kruger came to the plate first-pitch swinging and sent a ball over the fence in right-center to open scoring. Armstrong then got Scott Haft looking before four consecutive singles, including a Chris Smith bunt up the third baseline, and a double down the left field line allowed F&M to open a 4-0 advantage.

Gettysburg battled back in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead to 4-3. With one out, back-to-back singles through the left side of the infield by Austin Ball (Farmingdale, NY/Hills East) and Mike Cipolloni (Riegelsville, PA/Germantown Academy) put runners at first and second. After an infield fly to third base, Ball came around on a Chase Straub (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) single down the line.

Pernice sent a hard-hit ball back to the pitcher, and a throwing error allowed Cipolloni to come home. Straub, who advanced to third on the errant throw, came home on wild pitch to make it 4-3.

In the third, the Diplomats sent 12 to the plate and faced three different Bullet pitchers to open up the eight-run advantage.

Dan Weber led off with a base hit up the middle. After Kruger drew a walk and Haft was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Corey Caruthers singled to right to score Weber and leave the bases loaded.

With still no one out, Armstrong gave way to Ross Hempel (Marriotsville, MD/Glenelg). Dan Hanecak sent a ball to the left field fence to score Kruger on the sacrifice. Eric Milavsky singled home Haft before Smith sent a shot to the right field fence to score Caruthers on the second sacrifice on the inning.

With Milavsky standing on third and two out, Franklin & Marshall took advantage of a dropped pop fly to add three unearned runs. Hempel lasted two-thirds of an inning, facing seven batters. Rob Borman (Chappaqua, NY/Horace Greeley) needed just one pitch to get Haft to fly out to right and get the Bullets out of the inning.

Gettysburg added one in the fifth, two in the eighth and one in the ninth to close the gap but the Diplomats thwarted the rally to hold on for the victory.

Ron Lettieri (South Hempstead, NY/South Side) opened the fifth with one of the Bullets' three doubles of the game, advanced to third on a Luteran single before scoring on a Ball sacrifice fly.

In the eighth, Anthony Cavallo (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa) had a pinch-hit single through the left side. Pinch-runner Mark Campo (Arendtsville, PA/Biglerville) advanced to second on a groundball back to the pitcher, to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Straub RBI groundout.

Pernice started a two-out rally with a double before scoring on a Lettieri single through the right side to make it 11-6.

In the ninth, Luteran singled to start the frame before giving way to pinch-runner Jon Giordano (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa). He went to third on a throwing error by the third baseman before scoring on the next groundout.  Back-to-back fly outs ended any rally.

Borman scattered four hits and struck out two in his 6 1/3 innings of work.

Gettysburg completes the season series at Franklin & Marshall on Friday. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Scott Solomon, Todd Gagwin (7), Casey Dohme (9) and Dan Weber; Dan Armstrong, Ross Hempel (3), Rob Borman (3) and Mike Luteran. WP: Solomon (5-0). LP: Armstrong (2-2). S: none. SO-BB: Solomon 3-2, Cagwin 1-0, Dohme 0-0; Armstrong 1-1, Hempel 0-0, Borman 2-1. 2B: Rob Georgiou (F), Brian Pernice (G), Ron Lettieri (G), Mike Luteran (G). HR: Gary Kruger (F).

-30-