Game Notes

The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (6-2) heads out west for its spring break trip to Southern California, playing eight games. F&M takes on (RV) Redlands (10-6, 4-2 SCIAC) in a three-game series that starts with a single game on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. EST (2:30 p.m. PST), followed by a doubleheader with the Bulldogs on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. PST). The Diplomats then play single-games against (RV) Cal Lutheran (7-2, 3-0 SCIAC) on Monday at 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. PST) and Whittier (3-8, SCIAC) on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. PST). The Diplomats wrap up the trip with a three-game series against No. 10 La Verne (8-1, 3-0 SCIAC), with game one starting on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. PST).

Last Week

The Diplomats completed a five-game home stand at Penn Medicine park. F&M began the stretch with two run-rule victories, starting with an 11-1 win over DeSales on Friday. Franklin & Marshall the downed RIT, 10-0, in seven innings to start Saturday's doubleheader. F&M then fell to the Tigers, 12-10 in game two, and 10-7 in game three on Sunday. However, Franklin & Marshall ended the home stand on a high-note as the Diplomats held off York (Pa.), 9-6, on Tuesday afternoon. 

Diplomats' pitcher Bijan Anvar was named the Centennial Conference (CC) Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career after his performance in F&M's game-one victory over RIT. Anvar struck out six and allowed just three hits and no earned runs in six innings-pitched to claim his second win on the mound this season. Read the full release here. 

Last Time vs. Redlands

The Bulldogs defeated the Diplomats, 4-3, during their last meeting in 2008. Read the full recap here. 

Last Time vs. Cal Lutheran

The Kingsmen defeated the Diplomats, 10-8, during their last meeting in 2008. Read the full recap here. 

Last Time vs. Whittier

The Poets defeated the Diplomats, 15-13, during their last meeting in 2008. Read the full recap here. 

Last Time vs. La Verne

The Diplomats defeated the Leopards, 9-4, during their last meeting in 2008. Read the full recap here. 

Redlands Team Preview

Currently receiving votes in the latest national rankings, Redlands holds a 10-6 record this season. The Bulldogs are coming off a series win over No. 8 Pomona-Pitzer after taking two of three games from the Sagehens. Rylan Morris leads the team in batting average (.432) and OPS (1.280), while talling three doubles, three triples and one home run this season. Mark Kirkland is hitting .418 with four doubles and one triple this year. Kirkland leads Redlands with three home runs, 25 RBI and 17 runs scored. Pitcher Nathan Buchan holds a 3.38 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 29.1 innings pitched. Buchan sports a 4-0 record with two complete-game performances. 

Cal Lutheran  Team Preview

Receiving votes in the national poll, Cal Lutheran is coming off a series win over Whitman last week, claiming wins in two of the three games. The Kingsmen host Cornell College in a three-game set this weekend before hosting the Diplomats on Monday. Eric Gonzalez leads Cal Lutheran with a .500 average, while driving in six RBI and scoring nine runs. Alec Garcia is hitting .457 with 16 total bases and 10 RBI, so far this year. Starting pitcher Leo Bristow is off to a great start this season, earning three wins without allowing an earned run in 16.2 innings. Bristow has fanned a team-high 27 batters and has allowed just 10 hits and five walks in three starts. 

Whittier  Team Preview

Before hosting F&M on Tuesday, the Poets take on Dickinson on Sunday and Cornell College on Monday. Joe Plaskett leads Whittier with a .404 average and 1.355 OPS. Plaskett also has four doubles, one triple, six home runs, 17 RBI and 11 runs scored this year. Pitcher Maximus Berber holds a 3.94 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 16 innings-pitched so far this spring.

La Verne  Team Preview

No. 10 La Verne is currently on a six-game winning streak with its last loss coming against University of Chicago, 6-3, on February 16. The Leopards host University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Williamette and MIT this weekend before welcoming F&M for a three-game series starting Thursday. Noah Garcia sports a team-high .515 average with three doubles, one triple and one home run. Garcia also has eight RBI and five runs scored this spring. La Verne pitching staff is led by Ethan Galinda and Matthew DesMarwts. Galinda holds a 1.00 ERA with nine strikeouts in 18.0 innings, while DesMarets has a 1.96 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings of work.