March 22, 2008

Box Score

THOUSAND OAK, Calif. - Cal Lutheran scored seven runs over the seventh and eighth innings to hand Franklin & Marshall a 10-8 setback Friday afternoon. The three-hour and thirty-eight minute contest took a twist on the Diplomats (4-7) in the seventh when Lutheran (8-11-1) rolled up five runs on just two hits without the benefit of any F&M errors.

Starter Matt Metsch was retired after six innings having allowed four runs, three earned, while fanning a pair of Kingsmen. The Diplomats needed three pitchers to get out of the seventh. Five walks and a run scored on a wild pitch were woven around a David Iden, two-RBI single. A sacrifice bunt plated Iden as the tying run, 8-8, and with two outs on the board, Dan Tischler came on to finish off the inning. Things got dicey as he walked a runner onto the open bag, but Tischler worked out of the jam catching his second batter faced looking.

Iden plagued the Diplomats all afternoon. Jason Anderson came on in the eighth and got the first two batters before Iden reached on a double into the rightfield gap. Paul Hartmann was intentionally walked, and Vinny Lopez made F&M pay by clearing the bases with a triple. Anderson (0-2) suffered the loss for F&M.

Iden finished the game 2-for-4 at the dish with three runs scored and two RBIs. Lopez's triple was his only hit of the game. He plated Iden on the sacrifice bunt to wrap the game with three RBIs. Bill Murray led F&M's offense going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a double, and a run scored. It was his fifth multiple hit game of the season. Matt Will, Shea Moriarty, and Anderson each picked up a pair of hits. Will drove a run in, while Moriarty and Anderson each crossed once.

The Diplomats return to action on Saturday against Redlands, wrapping up the California portion of the 2008 slate.