Box Score FLORENCE, SC – A trio of Patriots registered three-hit games and freshman left-hander Daniel Barfield picked up his first collegiate win with 4.1 scoreless innings as Francis Marion University claimed a 7-3 victory over Wingate University, Tuesday evening (April 9) in non-conference baseball action.
Francis Marion (19-15) avenges an earlier 3-2 loss to the Bulldogs in North Carolina two weeks ago. FMU will play host to 14th-ranked University of Montevallo for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Senior centerfielder Jarrod Reed (3-for-5), senior designated hitter Will Chandler (3-for-5), and sophomore second baseman Brett Fulmer (3-for-4) led a 14-hit Patriot attack. Chandler's night included a double, two runs scored, and two driven in.
Barfield (1-0) relieved FMU starter Austin Cox and allowed only two hits, no runs, while striking out four in his 4.1 inning stint.
Sophomore centerfielder Thomas Spitz, ranked second in NCAA Division II in total hits, added to his season total with a 3-for-5 night that included a run scored and one RBI.
Wingate righty CJ Harris (1-6) was tagged with loss as he surrendered six runs on seven hits in only 1.1 innings.
FMU scored three times in the bottom of the first to take the early lead. Junior shortstop Michael Wilson rapped an RBI-single through the left side and senior first baseman Rhodes Dickerson followed with a two-run double to left center field. Dickerson extended his hitting streak to 12 games and 26 of his 27 contests.
After the Bulldogs plated a single run in the top of the second, Francis Marion answered with another three-spot in the last of the second. Junior right fielder Isaac Davenport laced a run-scoring double to left center, and one batter later, Chandler drilled a two-run double down the left field line.
Wingate scored twice in the top of the third – RBI-singles by Spitz and Blake Prince – to draw to within 6-3. Barfield then entered in the top of the fourth and silenced the Bulldog bats.
The Patriots added one insurance tally in the sixth frame on a sacrifice fly by junior leftfielder Casey Gebhardt.
Francis Marion Univ. 7, Wingate 3 (Apr 09, 2013 at Florence, SC)
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Wingate............. 012 000 000 - 3 9 2 (28-16)
Francis Marion Univ. 330 001 00X - 7 14 1 (19-15)
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Pitchers: Wingate - CJ Harris; Tyler Brown(2); Joshua Karr(6) and Josh Clark.
Francis Marion Univ. - Austin Cox; Daniel Barfield(5); Jeffrey Stoner(9) and Cole Morris.
Win-Daniel Barfield(1-0) Loss-CJ Harris(1-6) T-2:45 A-561
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 82 degrees
Daniel Barfield
