SCRANTON, Pa. – After dropping the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, The University of Scranton baseball team (2-1-1) bounced back with a 7-2 victory in the nightcap to salvage a split with the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (3-2) at Volpe Field in Scranton.

The Diplomats took game one by a score of 8-5.

Game One

A seven-run third inning proved costly as the Royals eventually dropped game one by the afore-mentioned score of 8-5 on Saturday.

Scranton did put together a late rally in the contest with runs in three of the final four innings, but ultimately came up short despite bringing the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning.

Franklin & Marshall broke the game open with three home runs as part of the seven-run third including back to back shots from A.J. Desautels and Bobby Faleese. Senior right-hander Josh Lydon (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas) was dealt the loss for the Royals after giving up five runs on four hits to go along with a walk and four strikeouts in two plus innings of work.

Chris Sanzone earned the win for the Diplomats after allowing three runs on two hits while walking four and fanning three over four innings. Later in the game, Stephen Turzai came on in relief and notched the save as he retired the only batter he faced with two outs in the seventh and the tying run at the dish for Scranton.

Senior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack) put the Royals on the board with a solo blast in the home half of the third inning and junior Anthony Tramonte (Mineola, N.Y./Chaminade) added a two-run triple in the fourth that cut the lead to 7-3 at the time. Head coach Mike Bartoletti's squad added solo runs in each of the final two frames with RBI singles from junior Nick Reposa (Factoryville, Pa./Tunkhannock) and sophomore Jack Heineman (Abington, Pa./LaSalle College HS).

In relief for the Royals in game one, sophomore lefty Matthew Moreira (Union, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) allowed just a run on four hits and fanned four over four innings of work.

Game Two

Scranton bounced back with the 7-2 victory in the nightcap as they scored in each of the first three innings including three run frames in both the second and third.

Following a Diplomats error that brought home a run in the first inning, graduate student Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) delivered the big blow with a three-run shot to right field in the second to make it a 4-0 game for the time being.

Though Franklin & Marshall would answer with a run in the top of the third, the trio of Harding, Kirsten and sophomore Matthew Querey (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) all came through with RBI singles in the home half of the frame for a 7-1 advantage.

Junior right-hander Daniel Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Immaculata) surrendered a run on two hits while walking one and fanning seven over 5.0 IP to earn the win for the Royals. Johnson's counterpart, the Diplomats' Kyle Roche gave up six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 2 2/3 IP and took the loss.

In relief of Johnson, senior right-hander Mason Boettger (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) and freshman right-hander Kevin Keil (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Atlantic County Institute of Technology) both did not allow an earned run in one inning of work apiece.

Harding, Kirsten, Querey and graduate student Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) all recorded multi-hit games in the contest and Querey scored two runs as well.

The University of Scranton baseball team will host Albright on Sunday afternoon at Volpe Field with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Prior to the game, the Royals will honor the 2021 Landmark Conference Championship team with a ring ceremony.

--ROYALS--