FLORENCE, S.C. (February 23, 2014) – Senior outfielder Dalton Gress hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, but Francis Marion University fell 13-4 to Wingate University, Wednesday afternoon in Monroe, N.C.

The Patriots fall to 7-6 overall on the season. FMU will return to Peach Belt Conference play this weekend (March 1-2) when they host Georgia Southwestern State University for a three-game series at Sparrow Stadium. Saturday's doubleheader kicks off at 1 p.m., and the series concludes with a single game on Sunday, also starting at 1 p.m.

Gress led the Patriots at the plate with two hits in two at-bats, and two runs batted in. Sophomore Cole Morris and senior Michael Wilson each finished 2-for-4 at the plate, while junior Nick McGee was 1-for-4 with a RBI.

Wingate (10-3) pitcher Jimmy Doolittle (2-0) earned the victory on the mound after tossing six innings with five strikeouts. The Patriots' Brandon Stoots (0-1) took the loss after giving up seven runs on six hits in two innings of work.

The Bulldog's jumped out to a 12-0 lead through six innings, including a four-run first inning and a three-run second. The Patriots were able to break into the scoring column in the seventh inning. FMU began the inning by loading the bases with singles from Gress, Wilson and Morris.

McGee was able to drive in Gress with the Patriots fourth-straight single to start the inning. Pinch hitter Casey Gebhardt pushed home the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Wilson.

FMU also struck for two more runs in their half of the eighth inning on Gress' homer that also scored senior David DeWolfe, who singled earlier in the frame.

Freshman Gordon Owens threw two innings of relief, while recording a strikeout and giving up two runs on four hits. Sophomore's Chance DuCharme and Brian Davis also tossed an inning out of the bullpen.

Shane Billings led the Bulldogs with four hits on five trips to the plate, with three RBIs.

Wingate 13, Francis Marion 4 (Feb 26, 2014 at Wingate, N.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 000 000 220  -  4 12  2      (7-6)
Wingate.............   430 221 01X  - 13 19  1      (10-3)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Brandon Stoots; Gordon Owens(3); Chris Harrison(5); Cody Dix(5);
Chance DuCharme(6); Brian Davis(8) and Nicholas McGee. Wingate - J. Doolittle; P. Haynes(7);
Dusty Ayscue(8); J. Newsome(9) and T. Simmons.
Win-J. Doolittle(2-0)  Loss-Brandon Stoots(0-1)  T-2:53  A-131
HR FMU - Dalton Gress (1).
HR WU - S. Billings (2); Thomas Spitz (2); T. Simmons (1).
J. Doolittle faced 4 batters in the 7th.