WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University baseball team celebrated its rise to No. 4 in the nation with a 17-6 non-league victory over Franklin & Marshall Tuesday afternoon.

Shenandoah (8-0) broke open a tie game versus the Diplomats (0-1) by scoring five runs in the fifth.

Senior Greg Van Sickler got things started by driving in fellow All-America Kevin Brashears with a double to dead center.

For Van Sickler, it was his second RBI of the day and the second time th

After Cory Nelson brought home Van Sickler with a bloop single to right and Mike Smith reached on a single through the left side, catcher Keaton Neeb crushed a fastball over the left-field fence for a three-run HR.

The dinger is the first of the year for Neeb.

The two teams traded runs in the sixth, with Blue Wells hitting a solo HR for F&M and Kurt Krout coming home on a balk in the bottom of the frame.

Krout reached on a one-out walk and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches.

Shenandoah completely blew things open with an eight-spot in the eighth.

Senior Ben Hendrickson (2-0) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks in 5.0 innings. He struck out two before turning it over to Smith at the top of the sixth.

Smith struck out three and gave up four hits, including the solo HR to Wells, before a trio of Hornets pitched in the ninth.

Sophomore Jeff Stanek closed out the game by retiring the final two Diplomats on a strikeout and a groundout.

Mike Duranti (0-1) took the loss. He gave up just one hit, but three runs (two earned) in 3.0 innings while walking three and striking out two.

Brashears led the victors with three hits.

Shenandoah travels to future ODAC foe Wednesday for a non-league contest. Senior Brian Goddard (1-0) is the Hornets starting pitcher.