F&M Rallies Past Garnet
Centennial Conference-leading Franklin & Marshall College (18-13, 11-3 CC) completed a season sweep of Swarthmore on Friday afternoon, downing the Garnet 5-3 at rainy Clothier Fields.
Swarthmore took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, as catcher Ben Mendelson '08 came home on a two-out single off the bat of left fielder Matt Fisher '08. The freshman outfielder battled to a 3-2 count with Diplomat starter Jeff Rowand, before lining the ball to center for his first career RBI.
The Diplomats scratched out two runs in the top of the fourth off Garnet starter Jared Leiderman '05, putting together a pair of hits for a 2-1 lead.
F&M got two more runs in the sixth and one in the eight, capitalizing on four Swarthmore miscues to assume a 5-1 lead.
The Garnet benefitted from a Diplomat error to score two runs in the bottom of the eighth, cutting the lead to 5-3. Rowand got Mendelson to pop out to kill the rally.
Diplomat closer Dan Tischler came on and pitched a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the year.
Pat Christmas '08 scored a run for Swarthmore (5-19, 3-11 CC) and nailed his sixth double of the season. Scott Young '06 added a run and a single, while Jody Fisher '05 drew two walks.
Leiderman (above) went the distance, allowing one earned run on only three hits over nine innings of work. The senior right-hander struck out nine batters to add to his Conference-leading total of 76 strikeouts. The nine K's increase his career total to 217, the fourth-most in Centennial Conference history. Steve Farneth '00 holds the Garnet school record with 229 career strikeouts.
The Garnet travel to Gettysburg on Saturday, April 23rd for their next game, a 12:30 p.m. double header against the Bullets.