FLORENCE, SC — Freshman third baseman Michael Wilson perfectly set the table on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 20) as he went 3-for-3 in the lead-off spot and led Francis Marion University to a 17-0 blanking of Benedict College in non-conference baseball action.

The Patriots (7-3) capture their fifth straight victory and score double-figure runs for the fourth time in that span.  FMU also sweeps its two-game series with Benedict (3-3), having previously beaten the Tigers 15-5 in Columbia on Friday.

Senior right-hander Phillip Mozingo (1-1) pitched five shutout innings for Francis Marion.  He allowed only two hits while striking out seven.  In all, three FMU hurlers combined to fan 11 Tigers while issuing no walks.

Amid his perfect day at the plate, Wilson stroked three doubles, walked twice, scored four times, and drove in two runs.  Three Patriots had two hits, including freshman pinch hitter Zack Lee who had two RBI singles in a seven-run FMU fifth inning.

Junior center fielder Buddy Sosnoskie was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs, while junior right fielder Tyler Boyd was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Senior shortstop Tyler Cappelmann drove in two runs with a single and a bases-loaded walk.

Ten different Patriots registered hits and eight recorded RBIs.

Benedict starter Eric Cordova was tagged with the loss.  First baseman Brandon Gipson and right fielder Ryan Sharp had the two Benedict hits, with Sharp's safety being a double.

FMU scored twice in the first and second frames, five times in the third, once in the fourth, and seven times in the sixth inning.

Francis Marion will play host to Pfeiffer University on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

      Michael Wilson