FLORENCE, SC – Junior designated hitter John Jones drove in four runs with a groundout and home run to back the strong pitching of sophomore right-hander Don Sandifer as 16th-ranked Francis Marion University downed Lander University 9-1, Saturday afternoon (April 2) in the first game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference baseball series.

Francis Marion remains the hottest team in the Peach Belt as the Patriots (25-8, 10-3) win their ninth straight game.  Lander falls to 18-15 overall and 6-6 in the PBC.  The two teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field.

Jones was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.  He singled and scored in the first, plated a run with an RBI ground out in the second, and belted a three-run homer over the center field fence in the fourth.

Junior second baseman Brock McCallister was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while freshman third baseman Michael Wilson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and senior first baseman Preston Shuey was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in.  The first four batters in the Patriot lineup combined for nine of FMU's 13 hits.  Shuey extended his school record for career RBIs to 190.

Sandifer (8-1) captured his eighth straight victory.  He allowed only one run on five hits in eight innings.  He struck out six and walked two.

Lander leadoff batter A.J. Nunziato and catcher Jeff May both rapped out two hits for the Bearcats.  Nunziato and second baseman Erik Lunde hit back-to-back doubles in the top of the eighth inning to account for the Lander run.

Bearcat starter Cory Hopper (5-2) allowed all nine runs on 11 hits in four innings of work.

FMU recorded five hits in the bottom of the first frame and scored four times.  Freshman left fielder Dalton Gress contributed a two-run single.  The Patriots added two more tallies in the second inning, and following Jones' long ball in the fourth, the margin was 9-0.

#16 Francis Marion Univ. 9, Lander University 1 (Apr 02, 2011 at Florence, SC
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Lander University...  000 000 010  -  1  5  1      (18-15, 6-6 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 420 300 00X  -  9 13  1      (25-8, 10-3 PBC)
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Pitchers: Lander University - Cory Hopper; Todd Hughson (5) and Jeff May. Francis Marion Univ. -
Don Sandifer; Sebie Kirkland (9) and Brian Paulhus.
Win-Don Sandifer (8-1)  Loss-Cory Hopper (5-2)  T-2:30  A-175
HR FMU - John Jones (2).
Weather: Mostly sunny, 68, breezey

          John Jones