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GREENWOOD, SC – Junior right-hander Spencer Jordan overcame a shaky first-inning and went on to toss seven shutout innings as 20th-ranked Francis Marion University beat 30th-ranked Lander University 5-2, Saturday afternoon (April 14) in a key Peach Belt Conference baseball game.

The Patriots win for the 16th time in their last 20 contests to improve to 28-13 overall and 15-9 in the PBC.  FMU moves past Lander (28-13, 13-9) and into third place in the East Division standings, only one full game behind division leader Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Francis Marion and Lander will conclude their weekend series with a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Jordan (7-3) allowed a pair of singles and hit a batter in the bottom of the first, but got out of the frame without allowing a run.  He would allow only one more hit over the next six innings.  He struck out 10 batters and walked only one.  Junior righty Don Sandifer finished the game, allowing two runs – only one of which was earned – in two innings.

FMU senior outfielder Tyler Boyd broke up the scoreless deadlock with an RBI single in the top of the fifth.  The hit, the first of two for the Lamar native, extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

The Patriots scored four times in the top of the eighth to take a 5-0 advantage.  Junior third baseman Stephen Tarkenton drilled a two-run double and junior outfielder Jarrod Reed stroked a run-scoring single.  Senior second baseman Brock McCallister scored the final run on a wild pitch.

Lander did rally for a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth – on an RBI-double by Erik Lunde and an RBI-single from Patrick Grady – but that would be as close as the Bearcats would get.

Junior first baseman Luke Tollison led Francis Marion at the plate with a 3-for-4 day.

Lander starter Todd Hughson (2-2) was the losing pitcher as he allowed four runs in 7.1 innings.

#20 Francis Marion 5, #30 Lander University 2 (Apr 14, 2012 at Greenwood, S.C.)
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Francis Marion......  000 010 040  -  5  9  2      (28-13, 15-9 PBC)
Lander University... 000 000 020  -  2  6  1      (28-13, 13-9 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Spencer Jordan; Don Sandifer(8) and Jacob Golliday; Brian Paulhus.
Lander University - Hughson; Davis(8); Jansen(9) and May.
Win-Spencer Jordan(7-3)  Loss-Hughson(2-2)  T-2:27  A-303
Weather: sunny, hot
Game: 41