FLORENCE, SC - Senior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht collected three hits, scored twice, and drove in three runs to lead ninth-ranked Francis Marion University to a 7-3 rain-shortened win over Alderson-Broaddus College, Thursday afternoon (March 11) in college baseball action.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Earlier in the day the final score was reported as 4-3, but after exhaustive research in the NCAA Baseball rules manual, it was found that runs scored by FMU in the bottom of the sixth inning before the game was called do count.

FMU improves to 15-4, while the Battlers fall to 4-4.  Francis Marion will face Armstrong Atlantic State University for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series this weekend in Savannah, Ga.

FMU second baseball Josh Biggers broke a 0-0 stalemate with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth frame.  Alderson-Broaddus answered with three runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Gary Valdez brought home the first run with a bases-loaded walk.  Second baseman Trevor Funk scored on a balk and Matt Paul plated the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.

As the rain continued to fall, FMU rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Kleinknecht tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI single.  First baseman Preston Shuey then singled to send Kleinknecht to third.  With one out, Alex Lee popped out to the second baseman behind the first base bag.  After the catch was made, Shuey headed for second in an attempt to draw a throw.  He was succesfull in that vain and the throw was wild, rolling into left field and allowing Kleinknecht to score the go-ahead run for the Patriots.

After Alderson-Broaddus did not score in the sixth inning, FMU tacked on three runs in the bottom of the frame before the game was called.

Patriot junior reliever Patrick Mincey (2-1) earned the win, while righty Jarrott Hooks gained his first career save.  Alderson-Broaddus starter Pedro Castellanos absorbed the loss.

Following Kleinknecht, FMU senior center fielder Graham Couch was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.  In the process, he also extended his hitting streak to 12 games.  Designated hitter Ronnie Whitt (2-for-2) was the lone Battler with more than one hit.

#9 Francis Marion Univ. 7, Alderson-Broaddus 3 (Mar 11, 2010 at Florence, SC)
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Alderson-Broaddus... 000 030  -  3  7  3      (4-4)
Francis Marion Univ.  000 223  -  7  9  1      (15-4)
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Pitchers: Alderson-Broaddus - Pedro Castellanos; Frankie Mullens(5). Francis Marion Univ. -
Zane Petty; Patrick Mincey(5); Jarrott Hooks(6).
Win-Patrick Mincey(2-1)  Save-Jarrott Hooks(1)  Loss-Pedro Castellanos  T-1:50  A-25
Mullens faced 4 batters in the 6th.