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FLORENCE, SC – Junior right fielder Jarrod Reed registered three hits, junior right-hander Gary Ashcraft pitched six solid innings in his longest outing of the year, and sophomore righty Jeffrey Stoner recorded his fifth save in seven games as eighth-ranked Francis Marion University beat 14th-ranked USC Aiken 5-3 and eventually went on to split Saturday's (April 21) Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader. The Pacers claimed an 8-1 victory in game two.

Francis Marion suffered only its fifth loss in the last 26 outings and now stands at 33-14 overall and 19-10 in the PBC.  The Patriots stand second in the East Division standings, one full game behind Armstrong Atlantic State University.  USCA (31-16, 18-12) occupies third place.

Francis Marion will likely make up a previously rained out game against Winston-Salem State University after exams end and before the PBC Tournament commences on May 9 in Columbus, Ga.

In game one, Reed was 3-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in. Ashcraft (5-0) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits.  Stoner recorded the final eight outs for his sixth save of 2012.

FMU took a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first when leadoff batter Michael Wilson was hit by a pitch, senior outfielder Tyler Boyd singled through the left side to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, and both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt.  Senior center fielder Buddy Sosnoskie, the team's RBI leader, then plated Wilson with an RBI groundout.

USCA tied the score in the third when Bryce Baur drilled a run-scoring single up the middle.

The Patriots scored single runs in the fourth (Reed's RBI-single to right center), fifth (Brock McCallister's RBI-single to right), and sixth (Boyd hit by a pitch with the bases loaded) innings to go ahead 4-1.

USCA left two runners on base in the top of the fifth frame that ended in unusual fashion.  Speedy Pacer shortstop Stephen Carmon, who leads the PBC in stolen bases with 40, appeared to steal home but did not score as the batter was called out on strike three to end the inning – with runner and ball arriving almost simultaneously at home plate.

The Pacers closed to within 4-3 with single tallies in the seventh and eight frames before Stoner retired the final four batters in order to preserve the win.

USCA starter Wyatt Brown (6-2) went the distance, allowing the four tallies on eight hits while throwing an even 100 pitches.

The second contest was scoreless until the Pacers scored three times in the top of the fourth to claim their first lead of the series.  Run-scoring hits by Ty Barkell, Bill Gerstenslager, and Tyler Bourdo accounted for the outburst.  Barkell finished the game 4-for-5 with three doubles and three RBIs.

Two more runs by USCA in the top of the fifth chased FMU senior southpaw Matt Broderick (7-2), who suffered his first loss of the year in six PBC decisions. 

USCA right fielder Will Tankersley had three hits in game two including his second home run of the series, a 385-foot solo shot to left center field in the ninth.

Francis Marion's lone run came in the bottom of the ninth as Reed walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on catcher Jacob Golliday's flare RBI-single to right center.

Junior first baseman Luke Tollison led FMU in the second contest as he was 3-for-4, while third baseman Stephen Tarkenton was 2-for-4.  Boyd was 0-for-5 in game two to end his long hitting streak.

Lefty Kelly Holt (4-4), the first of three USCA hurlers, earned the win as he went six shutout innings and allowed only six singles while fanning six.