Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall junior second baseman Mark Minutaglio and junior first baseman Patrick O'Reilly each banged out three hits to lead the Diplomats to a 7-3 win against Gettysburg in Centennial Conference (CC) action at Caplan Field on Tuesday afternoon. Minutaglio drove in three runs on the afternoon.

The Diplomats (17-9, 11-2 CC) also got a 2-for-4 effort with a home run, two RBI and a run scored from junior left fielder Rich Gallugi. On the hill, sophomore Brad Andres put together eight strong innings, allowing just one earned run among the three he gave up. He also had five strikeouts and three walks.

For the Bullets (18-6, 7-4 CC), junior catcher Michael Donohue (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Freshman pitcher Packer Larson (Newark, Del./St. Mark's) worked the final 2 2/3 innings in relief, allowing just two hits and striking out five without issuing a free pass.

The Diplomats jumped on the board quickly with a pair of runs in the first and never trailed. The first two batters reached on a singles, and a fielder's choice put runners on first and third with one down. A Gallugi single through the right side plated Minutaglio with the first run of the game. O'Reilly followed with a single through the left side to drive in freshman third baseman Jason Anderson.

Gettysburg got one back in its next turn. Donohue and junior first baseman Matt Stillitano (Ewing, N.J./The Hun School of Princeton) drew back-to-back walks to start the inning, and Donohue went to third on a fly ball to right field by sophomore shortstop Scott Vladyka (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional). He scored on an RBI single by senior right fielder Chase Straub (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) to make it 2-1.

Franklin & Marshall broke the game open with two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Sophomore right fielder Shea Moriarty led off the fourth with a double down the leftfield line, and the team scored runs on singles by senior catcher Billy McGuire and Anderson.

Gallugi led off the fifth with a solo home run to left field, pushing the lead to 5-1, and Anderson knocked in two with a double in the sixth.

Gettysburg cut into the deficit with two runs in the eighth, but that would be all the closer the Bullets would get. A fielder's choice by freshman second baseman Mike Backus (Piscataway, N.J./Immaculata) scored Straub, and an infield single by Donohue plated junior center fielder Sean McGee (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) to set the final margin.

The two teams will finish off the home-and-home series on Friday afternoon at Kirchhoff Field. The first pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.