Box Score AIKEN, S.C. – Middle infielders Beau Parker and Kevin
Carroll combined for seven hits, five runs scored, and six runs
batted in to lead Georgia Southwestern State University to a 14-6
upset of fifth-ranked Francis Marion University, Saturday morning
(May 8) in the opening game of the 2010 Peach Belt Conference
Baseball Tournament at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.
Francis Marion, which entered the game as the East
Division's top seed, falls to 38-12 and must await Sunday
night's announcement of the NCAA Division II National
Tournament field. FMU had won 14 of its previous 17 games,
but ended the regular season with a 9-4 home loss to GSW.
The Hurricanes (28-18) were making their first-ever appearance
in the PBC tournament. GSW advances to face Flagler College in
Sunday's first semifinal contest at 11 a.m.
FMU senior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht was 4-for-5 with two
runs scored, a double, two homers, and four RBIs. Junior
first baseman Preston Shuey was 2-for-4, including a solo home run.
Left fielder Tyler Boyd opened the game for Francis Marion when
he scored off a double by Kleinknecht to the warning track in
right-center field in the bottom of the first inning. GSW
answered with three runs in the top of the second inning. Jared
Allen hit a two-run homer and Chris Lingham later scored on a
sacrifice fly by Bud Long.
Kleinknecht pulled the Patriots to within 3-2 in the bottom of
the third inning when he homered over the right-field wall.
The Hurricanes opened a 6-2 margin in the top of the fourth
inning thanks to RBI hits from Carroll and Trent Dooley and a
bases-loaded walk by Allen.
FMU's Austin Smetana scored off a single to left field by
Kleinknecht in the fifth and Shuey homered in the sixth inning to
pull Francis Marion to within 6-4. That would be as close as
the Patriots would get as Georgia Southwestern scored eight runs
over the next two frames.
The Hurricanes' eighth inning was highlighted by a 3-run
triple by Parker.
Trailing 14-4, the Patriots pushed one run across in the bottom
of the eighth inning when Taylor Norfleet crossed the dish as Logan
Bland knocked a single through the left side. Kleinknecht accounted
for the final FMU run with his 13th homer of the season in the last
of the ninth.
All nine of Georgia Southwestern's starters garnered at
least one hit as the Hurricanes out-hit the Patriots 22-8.
Senior hurler Ryan Lackey (4-3) recorded the win for GSW with
seven innings of work.
Francis Marion utilized eight different pitchers. PBC Freshman
of the Year Don Sandifer (6-1) suffered his first loss of the
season as he allowed three runs on six hits in 1.2 innings.
Georgia Southwestern 14, #5 Francis Marion 6 (May 08, 2010
at Aiken, SC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Georgia Southwestern 030 300 260 - 14 22
1 (28-18)
Francis Marion......
101 011 011 -
6 9 5
(38-12)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Georgia Southwestern - R. Lackey; Corey Hawes
(8). Francis Marion - Don Sandifer;
Erik Sommerville (2); Patrick Mincey (4); Tyler Lehman
(6); Shane Gebhards (7); Brandon Forshee (7); Zane Petty (8); Josh
Edgin (9).
Win-R. Lackey (4-3) Loss-Don Sandifer (6-1)
T-3:27 A-312
HR GSW - Jared Allen (3), HR FMU - Barrett Kleinknecht 2
(13); Preston Shuey (5).
Sommerville faced 3 batters in the 4th.
Lehman faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Forshee faced 5 batters in the 8th.
Game: 50
FMU relief pitcher Erik Sommerville tags out GSW's Byron Haynes
at home plate in the top of the third inning of Saturday's Peach
Belt Conference Tournament game in Aiken.
