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FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore right-hander Jeffrey Stoner rebounded from his first career loss last weekend to toss a six-hitter and come within one out of a shutout as 30th-ranked Francis Marion University beat 13th-ranked North Georgia College & State University 10-1 on Sunday evening (March 4) to earn a split of their Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader.  The Saints rapped out 17 hits to claim a 13-6 victory in game one.

Francis Marion improves to 11-8 overall and 3-5 in the Peach Belt, while North Georgia is 10-4 and 3-2.  The two squads will play the final game of their rain-delayed series on Monday at 1 p.m. on FMU's Cormell Field.

Stoner (2-1) scattered six hits, struck out 11, and walked only two en route to his complete-game win. A two-out RBI infield single in the top of the ninth inning by Dustin Carpenter ruined the shutout. 

Stoner, now 11-1 in his young career, did not allow a hit until a two-out bunt single in the top of the six.  This allowed Francis Marion to build a 4-0 advantage.

FMU managed only six hits in the second contest, but took advantage of eight walks and three North Georgia errors.  Patriot senior second baseman Brock McCallister was 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four runs batted in, while junior infielder Stephen Tarkenton was 2-for-4.  Sophomore infielder Michael Wilson was 1-for-3 in the lead-off spot, but he scored three times.

The Patriots scored the only runs Stoner would need in the last of the first.  FMU plated two runs without the benefit of a base hit as Wilson walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch and senior center fielder Buddy Sosnoskie walked and came around to score on a two-out throwing error.

North Georgia righty Jesse Coxwell (3-1), the first of six Saints' hurlers, suffered the loss.

In the afternoon's opener, North Georgia right-hander Blake Hobby (3-0) pitched eight strong innings and center fielder Terrell Jones went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

The Saints took the lead in the top of the second on a three-run homer by Andrew Gordon. The margin would reach 6-0 before FMU rallied with four runs in the last of the fifth frame.  However, North Georgia answered with five runs in the top of the six to take an 11-4 advantage.

Junior righty Don Sandifer (0-4) surrender the first six tallies and was tagged with the loss. 

McCallister continued his hot hitting as he went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while senior catcher Brian Paulhus, also hot at the plate as of late, was 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Game One of DH

#13 North Georgia 13, #30 Francis Marion Univ. 6 (Mar 04, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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North Georgia.......   031 025 002  - 13 17  2      (9-3, 3-1 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 040 002  -  6 10  3      (10-8, 2-5 PBC)
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Pitchers: North Georgia - Blake Hobby; Jacob Beauchamp (9) and Eason Spivey.
Francis Marion Univ. - Don Sandifer; Tyler Smith (5); Dyson Coker (6); Jarrott Hooks (6);
Jeremy Knab (7) and Brian Paulhus.
Win-Blake Hobby (3-0)  Loss-Don Sandifer (0-4)  T-3:05  A-117
HR NGCSU - Andrew Gordon (1).
Weather: Partly Cloudy 50 degrees
Coker faced 1 batter in the 6th.

Game Two of DH

#30 Francis Marion Univ. 10, #13 North Georgia 1 (Mar 04, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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North Georgia.......   000 000 001  -  1  6  3      (10-4, 3-2 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 201 010 60X  - 10  6  0      (11-8, 3-5 PBC)
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Pitchers: North Georgia - Jesse Coxwell; Phillip Taylor (4); Cody Clickner (7);
Davis Partrick (7); Nick Bader (7); Kyle Burchfield (8) and Eason Spivey; Stephen Neidigh.
Francis Marion Univ. - Jeffrey Stoner and Will Chandler.
Win-Jeffrey Stoner (2-1)  Loss-Jesse Coxwell (3-1)  T-2:03
Weather: Partly Cloudy 53 degrees
J. Coxwell faced 1 batter in the 4th.
P. Taylor faced 2 batters in the 7th.
D. Partrick faced 2 batters in the 7th.