FLORENCE, SC - Senior right fielder Alex Lee homered and doubled and drove in four runs, while second baseman Brooks Arnette had three hits and three runs batted in as third-ranked Francis Marion University beat Benedict College 11-2, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28) in non-conference baseball action.

Francis Marion improved to 11-2 with the home-and-away series sweep of the Tigers (4-6).  FMU remains unbeaten in 22 all-time meetings with Benedict.

Senior left-hander Jeremiah Meiners (3-0) allowed two runs on four hits in five innings.  He struck out seven and walked two.  Four Patriots relievers then followed, each with a hitless inning apiece.  Francis Marion hurlers fanned 12 Benedict batters.

In contrast, FMU took advantage of 11 walks issued by Benedict pitchers.  Tiger righty Lamar Lewis was the loser as he allowed six runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.

Benedict took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jasson Read doubled to left center and came around to score on an RBI single by Corey Bryant.  Lee then answered with a two-run homer to straight-away center field in the bottom of the frame to put FMU up 2-1.  Francis Marion scored four times in the fourth to take a 6-1 advantage.  The Patriot tallies came on an Arnette RBI single to left, a run-scoring wild pitch, and a two-run double to right centerfield by Lee.

Benedict right fielder Anthony Browning homered in the fifth to trim the margin to 6-2.  FMU then scored once in the seventh inning, and four times in the eighth, the final rally aided by five bases-on-balls.

Francis Marion will host local-rival Coker College on Tuesday at 2 p.m., while Benedict plays host to Shaw University for a noon doubleheader on Monday.