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FLORENCE, SC – A pair of Francis Marion University errors led to three unearned runs and although the 14th-ranked Patriots out hit UNC Pembroke, the Braves came away with a 5-2 win on Monday afternoon (April 2) to avoid being swept in the three-game Peach Belt Conference baseball series.
Francis Marion loses for only the third time in its past 15 outings and drops to 24-12 overall and 12-8 in the PBC. The Patriots will entertain Winston-Salem State University in a non-conference affair on Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
FMU junior righty Spencer Jordan (5-3) was tagged with the loss, although only two of the four runs he surrendered were earned. After falling behind 4-1 in the third, Jordan retired the final 12 batters he faced. He struck out seven and walked only one.
Senior right-hander Alex Pearce (5-3) earned the win as he scattered 10 hits, struck out four, and walked just two. Brave relievers Patrick McMahon and Braxton Lewis combined to retire the final 10 Patriot batters in order. Lewis registered his 10th save of the 2012 campaign.
UNCP took a 1-0 lead in the first when lead-off batter Josh Haley hit Jordan's second offering over the fence in straight-away center field. FMU answered with a single run in the bottom of the frame as Jarrod Reed singled and eventually scored on Buddy Sosnoskie's RBI groundout.
The Braves took the lead for good with three tallies in the top of the third. A pair of errors factored in the scoring sequence. Max Gagnon trotted home from third on a throwing error, while Aaron Parnell laced an RBI double to right center field and Tyler Potter stroked a run-scoring single up the middle.
Potter finished the game with three hits, while Haley had two hits.
Francis Marion answered with a single run in the fourth to drawn to within 4-2. Senior designated hitter Austin Smetana pounded an RBI single to center field to score senior second baseman Brock McCallister with one out, but Pearce retired the next two batters to strand a pair of Patriot base runners.
The Patriots had runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, but FMU was unable to score.
Junior second baseman Tyler Hibbs was 3-for-4 to lead FMU, while senior outfielder Tyler Boyd was 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to seven games.
UNC Pembroke 5, #14 Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Apr 02, 2012 at Florence, SC)
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UNC Pembroke........ 103 000 001 - 5 6 0 (24-12, 11-9 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 100 000 - 2 10 3 (24-12, 12-8 PBC)
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Pitchers: UNC Pembroke - Alex Pearce; Patrick McMahon (6); Braxton Lewis (8) and Max Gagnon.
Francis Marion Univ. - Spencer Jordan; Don Sandifer (8) and Brian Paulhus; Jacob Golliday.
Win-Alex Pearce (5-3) Save-Braxton Lewis (10) Loss-Spencer Jordan (5-3) T-2:15 A-100
HR UNCP - Josh Haley (2).
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 83 degrees
