March 27, 2009
Diplomats Veto Shoremen, 7-4
Perret With Two Hits, RBI and Run Scored In Defeat

CHESTERTOWN, MD - Visiting Franklin & Marshall scored four runs in the top of the eighth to snap a 3-3 tie and went on to capture a 7-4 victory over host Washington College on Friday afternoon in Centennial Conference baseball action at Athey Baseball Park. The Diplomats improved to 9-7 overall and 2-0 in conference play with the win, while the Shoremen fell to 6-7 and 0-2 respectively with the loss.

With the score even at 3-3 going into the top of the eighth, F&M's Andrew Hanson singled through the left side to lead off the inning. Hanson would move up to second base on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter Matt Will laced a double into left-center to plate Hanson and put the Diplomats up 4-3. Two batters later, Jason Anderson hit a single down the left field line to plate two and put the visitors up 6-3. The four-run frame was capped by Anderson scoring courtesy of a throwing error by WC.

Washington got one of the runs back in the bottom of the eighth when freshman Ryan Normoyle (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) hit his second home run of the season over the right field wall to cut the F&M lead to 7-4 to provide the final margin.

The Diplomats scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. J.T. Triantos hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Russell Tischler for the game's opening run. Anderson singled down the left field line to score Matt Valente to put F&M up by two runs.

The Shoremen got one run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead in half. With one out, senior Tony Tozzolo (Calvert County, MD/Northern) doubled to right-center and would score on senior Greg Perret's (Morris Plains, NJ/Bayley Ellard) single up the middle.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Shormen used some two out magic to score to runs and take a 3-2 lead. After the first two hitters were retired on just two pitches, Perret and senior Joe Coveney (Madison, NJ/Madison) both worked out walks. The next hitter freshman Ben Keaton (Arlington, VA/Flint Hill School) hit a two-bagger down the right field line to knock in both Perret and Coveney to put Washington in the lead.

The lead would be short lived however as the Diplomats leveled the game at 3-3 with a run in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Bill Murray singled through the left side and Anderson crossed the plate off the hit to knot the contest.

For the visitors, Anderson went 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Murray was 2-for-5 and driving in one run. On the mound, Matt Metsch chalks up the victory and improves to 2-0 on the season. He went seven innings, allowed five hits, three runs and struck out seven. He gave way to Brendan McCreary for the last two innings and he allowed one run in the two frames.

Perret was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI for the hosts. Keaton was 1-for-4 with two RBI on the day. Junior Chris Keiper (Toms River, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) took the loss and falls to 1-1 on the year. He pitched 5.2 innings allowed two runs and punched out eight. He was pulled after Hanson's leadoff single in the top of the eighth and Hanson's run proved to be the run that put F&M up for good.

The Shoremen travel to Pennsylvania tomorrow to take on Haverford in a Centennial Conference doubleheader. The twinbill begins at 12:30 p.m.

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