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MONTEVALLO, AL - Francis Marion University senior catcher Brian Paulhus had a game-high three hits, and came around to score all three times, but the 12th-ranked Patriots still dropped a 7-6  Peach Belt Conference decision to host University of Montevallo at Kermit A. Johnson Field in Montevallo, Ala., as the Falcons completed the weekend sweep.

Francis Marion (8-7, 2-4) is in action again Tuesday (Feb. 28) as it takes on St. Augustine's College for a twinbill in Cary, N.C., at 2 p.m.

Paulhus finished the day 3-for-3 to lead a 10-hit Patriot attack and led off every FMU scoring inning with a hit and came around to score three times.  The Falcons (7-8, 4-2) matched the Patriots in every scoring inning including a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh to provide the difference. 

Francis Marion took an early lead in the top of the third on junior outfielder Reggie Weatherford's RBI double into left field that plated Paulhus, who had doubled down the line to start the frame.  Weatherford then doubled the Patriot lead (2-0) when he scored on junior Stephen Tarkenton ground out to short after he had advanced to third on the previous at-bat.

Montevallo took the lead itself in the latter part of the third when Heath Peterson took FMU sophomore starter Jeffery Stoner deep to left-center for a three-run home run to put the Falcons on top 3-2.  Stoner (1-1) who pitched 6.1 innings, struck out seven hitters, and walked three while allowing seven hits, was tagged with the loss – his first in 11 career decisions.  Junior righty Gary Ashcraft worked the final 1.2 innings for the Patriots, giving up two hits as well as striking out a pair.

Tarkenton's sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth scored Paulhus who led off the inning with a single and that knotted the score at 3-3.  Tarkenton went 1-for-3 with three runs batted in on the afternoon.  Senior outfielder Buddy Sosnoskie put FMU on top 4-3 later in the inning when he doubled home Weatherford, but senior Brock McCallister was cut down at the plate on the play to halt any chance of FMU increasing its advantage. Montevallo then tied the game again (4-4) on Chris Ross' sacrifice fly in the bottom portion of the fifth.

The Patriots took the lead 5-4 on Tarkenton's RBI single up the middle that scored Paulhus who had led off the inning with a single.  McCallister scored on Sosnoskie's sacrifice fly to increase the gap to 6-4. Sosnoskie finished the afternoon 1-4 with two RBIs.

The Falcons sank the Patriots with three of their own in the seventh, capped off by Peterson's two-RBI single off Ashcraft who had come into the game, giving Montevallo the deciding 7-6 lead. 

In the eighth, Francis Marion drew three walks and coaxed a throwing error and a balk, but was unable to push across the tying run.

Kincaid Koehler (1-1) got the win in relief for the Falcons and Edward Brandsema picked up the two-inning save, his first of the season.

The Patriots stranded eight runners on the day, compared to the Falcons' seven.