FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University received two quality starts from its pitching staff and lead-off batter Jarrod Reed registered five hits at the top of the line-up to help lead the Patriots to a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader sweep of Columbus State University, Saturday evening (March 23) on Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium.

The Patriots scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to rally for a 4-3 win in game one and then scored four times over the opening two frames of game two en route to a 6-3 victory.

Francis Marion improves to 14-10 overall and 9-5 in the PBC, while CSU drops to 12-15 and 8-6.  The two squads will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 4 p.m.  (PLEASE NOTE THE NEW START TIME)

Senior third baseman Stephen Tarkenton singled in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth inning of the opener.  His hit scored Reed, who had tripled off the right field wall with one out.  Tarkenton then came home with the winning run when junior Michael Wilson singled to center and the ball was booted by the Cougar outfielder.

Junior right-hander Jeffrey Stoner (4-1) entered the game in the eighth and earned the win, despite allowing three base runners in his short stint.  Patriots' starter Gary Ashcraft allowed only three runs on four hits in 7.1 innings.  He struck out seven and at one point retired 14 batters in a row through the middle innings.

CSU righty Zach Helewski (1-5) took the loss despite going the distance.  Designated hitter Brett Teschner had a two-run double for the Cougars.

Each team scored two runs in their half of the third inning.  The Patriot tallies came on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt and a double play grounder by Wilson.  CSU then scored a run in the top of the eighth, followed by the FMU rally in the bottom of the eighth.

Reed was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Tarkenton was also 2-for-3.

In the second contest, FMU jumped on CSU senior southpaw Brodie Leibrandt (3-1) for four runs in the first two innings.  FMU senior righty Don Sandifer (3-3) earned his 22nd career win with six strong innings.  He scattered nine hits, but surrendered only one run, while fanning four and walking just one.  Freshman right-hander John Rossi earned his third save of 2013 as he finished the final three innings.

Reed registered three hits in game two to extend his hitting streak to nine games, while also scoring twice.  Senior first baseman Rhodes Dickerson was 2-for-3 and has now hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games.

A two-run double down the right field line by junior shortstop Stephen Johnson and an RBI single to right field by sophomore second baseman Brett Fulmer fueled the three-run Patriot second inning and upped the FMU advantage to 4-0.

After CSU trimmed the margin to 4-1, junior right field Isaac Davenport drove in FMU's fifth run with a groundout.  The Cougars scored once in the top of the seventh to draw to within 5-2, but in the Patriots' half of the frame, senior catcher Will Chandler restored the four-run cushion with a run-scoring single through the left side.

Tarkenton singled earlier in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.

Davenport helped seal the victory with a spectacular diving catch in right center field for the second out in the ninth.