FLORENCE, SC - Senior Barrett Kleinknecht tossed seven shutout innings while allowing only one hit and at the plate went 4-for-4 to lead ninth-ranked Francis Marion University to an 11-0 blanking of 15th-ranked North Georgia College & State University, Sunday afternoon (April 11) in the rubber game of their Peach Belt Conference baseball series.

Francis Marion ups its overall record to 31-9 and is 12-6 in the Peach Belt, while North Georgia drops to 26-13 and 13-8.

Kleinknecht improved to 4-0 as allowed only a fourth-inning single, while striking out five and walking only two.  Patrick Mincey and Brandon Forshee each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the two-hit shutout.

The Patriot offense, held to just two runs on seven hits in Saturday's doubleheader, pounded out 14 hits on Sunday and led 6-0 after the first two frames.

Second baseman Josh Biggers moved to the leadoff position in the batting order and responded by going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and one driven in.  Kleinknecht also scored three times.

First baseman Preston Shuey was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while right fielder Austin Smetana was 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs.  Senior Josh Smith delivered a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh inning.

North Georgia second baseman Andre Airich singled to right field in the fourth inning and third baseman Jordan Erisman singled to right to lead off the ninth inning to account for the Saints' two safeties.  Only once in the game did a North Georgia runner reach second base.

North Georgia starter James Wiley (4-1) lasted only into the second inning and was relieved after allowing five runs, all earned.  

FMU will play at local rival Coker College on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

    Barrett Kleinknecht