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BELMONT, NC- Junior outfielder Jarrod Reed and senior designated hitter Austin Smetana each homered and combined to account for seven runs batted in as 23rd-ranked Francis Marion University topped Belmont Abbey College 11-7, Wednesday afternoon (March 28) in non-conference baseball action at Abbey Yard in Belmont, NC.
The Patriots (22-11) will return to Peach Belt Conference action this weekend with a home series against UNC Pembroke. The two local rivals will play a doubleheader on Saturday (March 31) at 1 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Francis Marion got on the board in the top of the opening inning when senior Buddy Sosnoskie singled home fellow senior outfielder Tyler Boyd, putting the Patriots up 1-0. Sosnoskie struck again in the top of the third, once again plating a senior, Brian Paulhus, to double the FMU edge at 2-0.
The Patriots pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Reed singled up the middle for two of his game-high four RBIs.
Belmont-Abbey (23-13) was stymied by Patriot junior starter Gary Ashcraft until it scored three runs, including a pair in the bottom of the sixth on a home run from Justin Vasquez, to narrow the deficit to 4-3 and chase the FMU hurler. Ashcraft (4-0) picked up the win, going 5.1 innings and striking out five, while giving up six hits.
FMU answered the Belmont Abbey rally by scoring seven runs in the top of the seventh inning. The frame featured a two-run homer by Reed and a three-run shot from Smetana, the Florence native's second long ball in five days. The Patriots batted around in the inning and racked up five of their 15 hits, while upping the margin on the scoreboard to 11-3.
Belmont Abbey made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth when it started to get to senior reliever Jeremy Knab, who had been keeping the Crusaders off the scoreboard since the sixth. Belmont Abby scored four runs off the lefty to draw to within 11-7, but senior righty Jarrott Hooks came in to seal the victory for FMU, working the final two-thirds of an inning.
Six Patriots ended the contest with multi-hit games, including Sosnoskie, Paulhus, Reed, Smetana (3-for-4), junior Tyler Hibbs and sophomore Michael Wilson.
FMU gained some revenge against the Crusaders who beat the Patriots 5-2 in Florence back on Feb. 14.
#23 Francis Marion Univ. 11, Belmont Abbey 7 (Mar 28, 2012 at Belmont, NC)
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Francis Marion Univ. 101 200 700 - 11 14 1 (22-11)
Belmont Abbey....... 000 102 004 - 7 12 2 (23-13)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion Univ. - Gary Ashcraft; Jeremy Knab (6); Jarrott Hooks (9) and
Brian Paulhus. Belmont Abbey - Paul Stelling; Taylor West (4); James White (7); Patrick Rossi (7)
and Kyle Buchanan; Dakota Irwin.
Win-Gary Ashcraft (4-0) Loss-Paul Stelling T-2:32 A-69
HR FMU - Jarrod Reed (1); Austin Smetana (2).
HR BAC - Gabby Amor; Justin Vasquez; Matt Mazzolla.
West faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Austin Smetana
