Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
IMMACULATA, Pa. – Franklin and Marshall scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning of game one to steal a 7-5 win, then rolled to a 5-1 victory in game two, sweeping the home opener from Immaculata Thursday afternoon in non-league softball action.
Franklin and Marshall (5-1) received a two-run homer from Kelly Marchisio to lead off the ninth to put away the determined Mighty Macs (0-4) in the opener.
Valerie Rutt-Guerriere gave up 15 hits in nine innings of work, and was spectacular in keeping Immaculata in the contest both on the mound and at the plate. She allowed just five earned runs, walked two and struck out three. The senior was also 1-for-4 with a run scored.
After two scoreless innings, the Diplomats went ahead in the top of the third as Samantha Basuk led off the top half of the inning with a single, and came around to score four batters later. Franklin and Marshall scattered three hits in the inning but only got one run to show for its effort, leaving three on base.
Franklin and Marshall put another run on the board in the fourth as Basuk again came around to score for the Diplomats.
Immaculata's bats warmed up in the bottom of the fifth as the Mighty Macs got a lead-off single from Mindy Monastra. Julia Lamplugh then walked, and both runners advanced on Jackie Mullineaux' sacrifice bunt. Megan Gallagher had a RBI single that brought Monastra home.
The Mighty Macs tacked the game-tying run on in the sixth after Rutt-Guerriere walked. Tori Musselman came on to pitch run for Rutt-Guerriere and advanced to third on Monastra's single, and scored on an error by the center fielder.
Franklin and Marshall got three runs on four hits in the top of the eighth. However, the Mighty Macs responded to the call with three runs on two hits. Sara Holleran walked and Rutt-Guerriere doubled right behind her. Lamplugh hit a two-out double that brought both runners around to score. Samantha Ferry and Gallagher both walked to load the bases, and Jackie Finkbohner had a RBI walk as Lamplugh advanced.
Nicole Morano (3-0) went the distance for the Diplomats to pick up her third win of the season. She scattered 10 hits, walked seven and struck out three.
In the second game, Franklin and Marshall pushed one run across in the second and scored three more in the fourth to put the hosts away early. The Diplomats added one more in the top of the fifth before the game was called due to darkness.
Carol Mastrosante led off the fourth inning for Immaculata with a homerun that accounted for all the Mighty Macs scoring.
Melissa Fetter got the nod inside the circle in game two and last four innings. She yielded six hits and three earned runs while striking out five. Brooke Habermehl came on in relieve in the top of fifth, giving up one run.
Mastrosante had two hits in the nightcap while Fetter and Musselman each collected a hit in the loss.
Meredith Morgan started for Franklin and Marshall and pitched one inning before Sara Damato came in and pitched the final three innings to earn the win. Damato gave up one run while striking out two.
Immaculata begins the Colonial States Athletic Conference schedule on Saturday, March 14, traveling to Neumann at 1 p.m.
