March 22, 2009
Diplomats Bill Shorewomen Twice
Devaud Homers In Game 1; Nicely Goes Yard In Game 2

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Visiting Franklin & Marshall swept a Centennial Conference double-header from host Washington College this afternoon at WC Softball Field, winning the first game, 10-6, and the second, 9-5. The Diplomats improved to 11-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play with the pair of wins, while the Shorewomen fell to 8-7 and 0-2.

In game one, the Diplomats scored three runs in each of the first two innings to grab a 6-0 lead. In the top of the first, Jessika Mancino scored on an RBI hit by Lauren Incorvaia to put F&M up 1-0. The guests made it 2-0 when Caitlin Elfring scored on a wild pitch and increased the lead to 3-0 on Nicole Morano's RBI groundout. In the second inning, Elfring hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 and Meredith Morgan knocked in two on a double to left field.

Washington got on the board in the bottom half of the second when freshman Gabby Devaud (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) launched her second home run of the season to left field to cut the lead to 6-1. The Shorewomen scored two runs in the bottom of the third to trim the Diplomat lead to 6-3 on an RBI double by freshman Sally Snover (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park) and a run scoring Bermuda Triangle single by freshman Margaret Rohde (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Academy of Home Education).

Washington evened the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to level the score at 6-6. Sophomore Becca Nicely (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) scored Devaud on an RBI two-bagger to make it 6-4. Three hitters later, freshman Jordan Tryhubenko (Cockeysville, MD/Dulaney Valley) hit a two-run single that just landed on the outfield grass to score Nicely and freshman Leigh Carbutt (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) to tie the contest.

F&M scored four times in the sixth to take a 10-6 lead and provide the final margin. Elfring put the Diplomats up 7-6 on an RBI single up the middle that scored Barbara Sasso. Morgan then had her second two-RBI hit of the game as she drove both runs in on a double to right-center. Incorvaia drove in the final run of the frame on a groundout.

For the guests, Mancino was 3-for-4 with three runs scores. Morgan was 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Elfring tallied a 2-for-3 game with two runs driven in. Incorvaia was F&M's third player to plate in two teammates. In the circle, Morgan picked up the win to go to 3-1 on the season as she struck out seven in tossing a complete game.

Washington's Devaud scored two runs, while Tryhubenko knocked in two runs for the Shorewomen. Freshman Meaghan Kimme (Lumberton, NJ/Holy Cross) took the loss and falls to 2-3.

In game two, F&M scored two in the first inning on a Washington fielding error that scored both runs. The Diplomats added another run in the top of the third when Incorvaia launched the first of her two home runs in the nightcap, this one to left field to leadoff the frame. Washington got one back in the bottom of the third when Nicely cranked her first career home run to straight away centerfield. F&M added one run in the top of the fourth to make it 4-1 on a Mancino single up the middle to plate Kelly Marchisio.

The Shorewomen turned a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 lead with a four-run bottom of the sixth. Snover was knocked in by freshman Tori Ripple (Baltimore, MD/John Carroll) on a single to left to cut the visitors lead to 4-2. Rohde scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to one at 4-3. Devaud put Washington up 5-4 on a double to right-center that scored Ripple and freshman Kelly Moncure (West Point, VA/West Point).

Washington could not hold the lead however as F&M scored five in the seventh to complete the sweep. Sasso led off the top of the seventh and hit a longball to right-center to tie the contest at 5-5. With two outs, Morgan singled down the left field line to score score Marchisio and put F&M up 6-5. The next batter, Incorvaia crushed her second home run of the game, this time a three-run shot to right-center to put the Diplomats up 9-5 and provide the final margin. Washington got one runner on in the bottom of the frame, but a foul pop ended the game.

In the second tilt for F&M, Incorvaia was 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Mancino and Basuk were 2-for-5 each, Marchisio was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Morgan scored twice. Morgan chalked up her second win of the day in relief, pitching the final 1.2 innings, allowing no runs and fanning two.

For Washington, Ripple and Rohde each went 2-for-4, scoring a run each, while Devaud went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Freshman Erin Ficca (Exton, PA/Bishop Shanahan) took the loss in relief and falls to 0-1.

The Shorewomen return to action Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. conference double-header at McDaniel.

GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE