Game Notes

The Franklin & Marshall softball team opened the 2025 season by going 4-6 at the Tucson Invitational Games last week, sweeping Salve Regina across three games while earning a win over Viterbo (Wis.). The Diplomats play one series this week, as they travel to Penn State Brandywine for their first games on the east coast this season on Thursday.

Last Week

The Diplomats grabbed four wins in last week's trip to the Tucson Invitational Games, scoring a sweep of Salve Regina over the course of three games with wins of 7-4, 6-3, 9-1 (5 inn.). F&M also defeated Viterbo (Wis.) by a 5-4 scoreline while suffering losses to Dakota Wesleyan (6-3), Concordia (Neb.) (9-7), Park (Mo.) (1-0), Ottawa (Ariz.) (11-3, 6 Inn.), Nelson (Ariz.) (6-2), and Dickinson State (N.D.) (10-2, 6 Inn.). 

In the first game against Salve Regina, F&M broke a 4-4 deadlock with two runs in the seven inning coming on a Claire Sullivan RBI single and an infield error to bring two more runs home for a 7-4 win. A five-run fifth inning power F&M past the Seahawks in the second game, with Megan Wiarda scoring the go-ahead run on a two-run double to right center. Kate DelGrippo earned her first collegiate win with a complete-game performance, allowing three earned runs on nine hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over the seven frames. The third game against Salve Regina saw F&M win 9-1 in five innings, led by a three-hit, four-RBI performance by Alexa Klepper. Klepper reached a career milestone in the game against Park, as she became the 23rd Diplomat to reach 100 hits with her seventh-inning single. F&M's final win against Viterbo saw the Diplomats erase a 4-3 deficit in the fifth inning with an RBI triple from Gabby Mundy to tie the game and an RBI single from Klepper to claim the lead. 

Jaden Spigner is currently leading the Centennial Conference in batting average (.556), OPS (1.357), and on-base percentage (.579), while she is second in slugging percentage (.778). Klepper ranks first in triples (3) and third in batting average (.467), OPS (1.217) and slugging percentage (.733). Natalia Garza has drawn the third-most walks with the ninth-best on-base percentage (.520). Ainsley McClure has the sixth-best ERA (2.38) and is tied for the sixth-most strikeouts (19), while Kayla Kilmer ranks ninth in opponent batting average (.262). 

Last Time vs. Penn State Brandywine

F&M last faced the Lions in 2019, suffering a sweep in Lancaster by 4-3 and 7-4 scorelines. Game one saw Brandywine break out to an early lead in a two-run first inning featuring three hits and a pair of stolen bases. The Diplomats got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Caitlyn Erdman tripled and was batted in via a Lexi Piccinich single. Penn State Brandywine again got runners on the corners in the second and brought both runners in via a double to lead 4-1. A one-out Shannon Briggs double down the left-field line and passed ball got her to third early on in the fifth inning for F&M. A Jamie Belfer groundout brought her home to score one. Erdman then singled followed by a Piccinich double to make it a one-run game. F&M was unable to draw level in the final two innings, stranding a runner in scoring position in the sixth.

The Lions offense again was swift to pounce in game two, scoring four runs in the first inning on four hits. Belfer singled aboard with a bunt and stole second to open the bottom of the first. An Erdman flyout advanced her to third base, while Piccinich grounded out to score F&M's first run. F&M conceded another run in the top of the second inning, but they worked out of a bases-loaded scenario with a flyout to keep the score at 5-1. The Lions completed their scoring with two runs in the third inning for a 7-1 lead. F&M later reduced the deficit in a three-run sixth inning, with all of the offense coming with two outs. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases, while back-to-back singles to the right side scored three total runs. F&M got runners to first and second with one out in the seventh, but they were unable to complete a comeback.  

Penn State Brandywine Team Preview

The Lions began the 2025 season with a 7-3 trip to Florida, including four run-rule wins and two shutouts. On their first day, they earned a 13-0 win over North Central (Minn.) in five innings before defeating New England College, 5-3. On the second day, they walked-off in a 3-2 win in eight innings over Husson before defeating Curry, 15-0, in five innings. The Lions then defeated Lake Forest, 11-3, in six innings before losing the next three games to Alfred (12-2, 5 inn.), Albertus Magnus (3-0), and Carroll (Wis.) (6-5). They wrapped up the week with a sweep in their lone doubleheader to Gwynedd Mercy with a 5-4 victory in game one and 3-2 win in the second game. 

The Brandywine offense is tied for the best batting average (.354) in the United East, while they rank first in on-base percentage (.435) and second in slugging percentage (.448). The pitching staff has the fifth-best ERA (3.50) and the third-lowest opponent batting average (.274). Their defenders have the best fielding percentage (.965). Ava Craddock leads the United East with a 1.466 OPS, a .615 batting average, and on-base percentage (.697) (min. 5 games), while she is fifth in slugging percentage (.769). Emma McElroy leads the team with 17 hits while slashing .486/.500/.543. April Lewandowski has the seventh-best ERA (2.51) through 30.2 innings of service. 

F&M Among Centennial Conference Sides (As of 3/19/25)

T-1st in Doubles (18)
T-2nd in Triples (4)
T-3rd in Sacrifice Flies (4)
4th in Strikeouts (48)
T-4th in Walks (29)
5th in Slugging Percentage (.379)

F&M Individuals in the Centennial Conference Top 10 (As of 3/19/25)

Batting Average
1. Jaden Spigner (.556)
3. Alexa Klepper (.467)

On-Base Percentage
1. Jaden Spigner (.579)
5. Natalia Garza (.520)
9. Alexa Klepper (.484)

Slugging Percentage
2. Jaden Spigner (.778)
3. Alexa Klepper (.733)
6. Kate DelGrippo (.643)

OPS
2. Jaden Spigner (1.357)
3. Alexa Klepper (1.217)
10. Kate DelGrippo (1.018)

Doubles
T-5. Jaden Spigner (4)
T-5. Sophia Noriega (4)
T-5. Kate DelGrippo (4)

Triples
1. Alexa Klepper (3)

RBI
T-8. Alexa Klepper (10)

Total Bases
T-7. Alexa Klepper (22)

Walks
3. Natalia Garza (8)

ERA
6. Ainsley McClure (2.38)

Complete Games
T-9. Kate DelGrippo (1)

Strikeouts
T-6. Ainsley McClure (19)

Opponent Batting Average
9. Kayla Kilmer (.262)
10. Ainsley McClure (.274)