The Franklin & Marshall baseball team (2-8) picked up a nonconference victory over York (Pa.) (3-5), 8-5, in the Diplomats’ home opener at Caplan Field Tuesday afternoon. Despite the cold and windy day, the F&M offense heated up in the late innings to outlast the Spartans.

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Tied at 5-all in the bottom of the seventh inning, center fielder Spencer Berson was hit by a pitch to get on base with one out. Berson then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Shortstop Bobby Falese laced a single back up the middle to plate Berson and give F&M a 6-5 lead.

After the Diplomats kept the Spartans off the scoreboard in the top of the eighth, F&M added some insurance runs in the bottom of the frame. First baseman Andrew Filippelli worked a one-out walk and stole second on the following at-bat. With two outs in the inning, right fielder Pat Elliott found the gap in right center field for an RBI-single as Filippelli came around to score. Elliott stole second to set up third baseman Tommy Denlinger to drive in a second run in the inning to put F&M up 8-5.

York got on the scoreboard first in the game as the Spartans plated a run in the top of the first inning, but F&M came back with two of their own in the bottom of the frame. Elliott led off the inning by reaching first on an error and then advanced to third after two groundouts. Falese singled to left to score Elliott and tie the game. The shortstop came around to score on a double from designated hitter Jakob Hoffman – giving F&M a 2-1 advantage.

Each team scored a run in the fifth to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Diplomats. F&M added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on an error on a play at the plate, followed by a sacrifice fly to extend F&M’s lead to 5-2.

Led by Elliott’s two stolen bases, the Diplomats swiped six bags in the contest – which is tied for fourth-highest in the F&M record books.

Falese led the Franklin & Marshall offense with three hits and two RBI in the victory. Denlinger, Elliott, Filippelli, and Hoffman all tallied one RBI in the win. F&M outhit York, 9-4, in the game.

Shane Rebane (1-0) was the winning pitcher as he struck out two, while allowing no earned runs and just one hit in 1.1 innings of relief. Thomas McLaughlin earned his first save of the season, striking out one batter in his one inning of work. F&M’s starting pitcher Luca Marshall did not earn a decision after striking out four and allowing two earned runs in four innings on the mound.

Franklin & Marshall looks to build upon the win as it travels down to Fort Myers, Florida to play eight games in the Gene Cusic Classic over spring break. The Diplomats kickoff the week with a doubleheader against Rockford Saturday at 9:00 a.m.