AUGUSTA, GA - Senior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht, dropped to ninth in the batting order, homered twice and drove in four runs as 11th-ranked Francis Marion University blasted its way past Augusta State University 11-4, Sunday afternoon (March 28) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.

The Patriots improve to 24-7 overall and 7-5 in the PBC and win the three-game series against ASU (10-21, 2-10).  FMU will play host to fifth-ranked Mount Olive College for a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday.

Kleinknecht finished the game 3-for-4, while Josh Biggers was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. 

FMU scored twice in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit.  ASU answered with a single run in the bottom half of the frame.  The score remained 2-1 until the Patriots scored three times in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

Junior designated hitter Chris Honeycutt hit a three-run homer in the fifth, and in the sixth, Trent Knight hit a solo shot and Kleinknecht added a two-run homer.  In the eighth, Kleinknecht hit his second two-run shot, and Bucky Wells concluded the scoring with a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth inning.

Freshman right-hander Don Sandifer, making his first conference start, improved to 3-0 with eight strong innings.  He allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out 10 and walking no one.  Senior Brandon Forshee pitched a scoreless ninth.

#11 Francis Marion 11, Augusta State 4 (Mar 28, 2010 at Augusta, Ga.)
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Francis Marion...... 200 033 021  - 11 10  1      (24-7, 7-5 PBC)
Augusta State....... 100 002 001  -  4  9  1      (10-21, 2-10 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Don Sandifer; Brandon Forshee(9). Augusta State - Parker; Minter(6);
Barks(8); Johnston(9).
Win-Don Sandifer(3-0)  Loss-Parker(1-1)  T-2:26  A-150
HR FMU - Chris Honeycutt (2); Trent Knight (3); Barrett Kleinknecht 2 (7).
HR ASU - Parker (2).