MILLEDGEVILLE, GA – Senior catcher Will Chandler capped an unbelievable weekend with a three-run homer in the top of the 10th inning as Francis Marion University rallied from a three-run deficit with two outs in the ninth to defeat Georgia College 12-8 and sweep their Peach Belt Conference doubleheader on Sunday (March 17) afternoon and evening.  The Patriots won the opener 15-6.

After seeing its ace shelled on Saturday, Francis Marion brought the big bats on Sunday for the sweep of a twinbill that lasted nearly seven hours.  FMU improves to 12-8 overall and 7-5 in the PBC.  The Patriots will play at Newberry College on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Chandler finished the three-game series 9-for-17 with nine runs scored and 10 driven in.  He homered four times and doubled twice.  The Aynor native recorded 23 total bases in the three-game set.

FMU looked to be headed for a split on Sunday, trailing 8-5 entering the ninth inning of game two.  With one out, junior shortstop Michael Wilson was hit by a pitch and then moved to second on a wild pitch by Bobcat reliever Christian Bragg (1-1).  Chandler then struck out, but reached first base safely when the ball eluded the catcher and Wilson moved to third. Junior outfielder David DeWolfe doubled to right field to drive home Wilson and push Chandler to third.

Senior first baseman Rhodes Dickerson, who earlier in the game had extended his hitting streak to 13 games, plated Chandler with an RBI groundout that brought FMU to within 8-7.  DeWolfe took third on the play.  Now with two outs, junior right fielder Isaac Davenport rapped out an infield single on a 3-2 pitch and tied the game at 8-8.

After Patriot freshman righty John Rossi retired the Bobcats in the bottom of the ninth, FMU took the lead in the 10th^.  Sophomore second baseman Brett Fulmer led off with a grounder to first that was errored on, and he advanced to second on the play.  One batter later, senior third baseman Stephen Tarkenton singled to center field to put the Patriots on top 9-8.  After Wilson walked, Chandler hit the first pitch over the left centerfield fence to give FMU a four-run cushion, 12-8.

"Best win ever as a head coach," said Patriot mentor Art Inabinet, who earlier this season picked up his 500th career victory.  "Our guys really battled, all series, and especially this afternoon. To lose a four-run lead and then rally from three down with only two outs remaining, I am very proud of the squad.  They played hard all weekend."

Rossi (2-1) earned the win with two scoreless frames.  He had earlier in the day picked up the save in game one.

DeWolfe enjoyed a weekend that nearly equaled Chandler.  He batted 10-for-16 with five runs scored and six driven in.

A line-up change by Inabinet sparked the Patriots in Sunday's opener. Wilson was in the lineup for game one, but for the first time batting third in the order.

In the top of the fourth, with center fielder Jarrod Reed on second base after a single and stolen base, Wilson hit a 3-2 pitch over the right-center field fence for his first home run of the season. Wilson who has batted leadoff or second in the lineup prior to Sunday, drove in three runs for the Patriots as they secured the 15-6 victory.

FMU scored five times in the top of the third and never trailed.  Fulmer got the inning started when he hit a one-out triple to left center. Reed reached first after he struck out, but the third strike was wild and got away from the catcher. The very next pitch was wild allowing Fulmer to score.  Tarkenton hit a double to right center scoring Reed and extending the lead to 2-0. After a strikeout, Chandler singled and then Dewolfe stroked a 2-run double. Davenport plated the fifth run with a single through the left side.

After Wilson's long ball in the fourth, Francis Marion plated three tallies in the fifth to lead 10-4.

The other line-up change was Tarkenton moving up in the order to second. He responded by going 2-for-6 with two RBIs. Five Patriots registered three hits, including senior Jacob Golliday who homered and had three RBIs.  The other Patriots with a trio of hits were Reed, Chandler, DeWolfe, and Fulmer.  The Patriots' 22 hits were a season high.

The offensive outburst was more than enough for FMU starter Gary Ashcraft (3-2) who pitched five effective innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.  Rossi pitched the final four innings to earn his second save.

Georgia College starter Matt Lamothe (3-2) lasted only four innings, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits.

In game two, the Patriots built a 4-0 lead behind senior starter Don Sandifer.  Sandifer breezed through the first four innings and allowed only one unearned run in the fifth as Francis Marion owned a 4-1 advantage.  However, the Bobcats erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to claim a 6-4 lead.

Chandler trimmed the deficit to 6-5 in the seventh when he doubled and then scored after two wild pitches. Georgia College scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to lead 8-5 and set the stage for the Patriot ninth-inning heroics.

In the second game, Chandler and DeWolfe both went 3-for-6.  In addition to his 10th-inning bomb, Chandler also drilled a two-run homer in the fifth. Four Patriots totaled two hits: Reed, Tarkenton, Dickerson, and Fulmer.

        Will Chandler