Box Score WILSON, N.C. (March 11, 2014) – The Francis Marion University baseball team picked up a 9-3 non-conference road-victory over Barton College, Tuesday afternoon in Wilson, N.C.
The Patriots (11-9) will return to Peach Belt Conference action this weekend when they host Georgia College for a three-game series at Sparrow Stadium. The weekend tilt kicks off on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Senior designated hitter Dalton Gress led the Patriots at the plate with two hits in three trips with a run batted in. Senior infielder Luke Tollison and senior first baseman David DeWolfe were both 1-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Senior outfielder Marquis Curry scored three runs.
On the mound, junior righty Austin Cox (1-0) earned the win after tossing three scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Freshman right-hander Gordon Owens had a solid start for the Patriots, throwing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Barton (7-15) pitcher Ricky Jerrigan took the loss after surrendering two earned runs on five hits.
FMU jumped on the scoreboard early with a run in the top of the second inning. Gress kicked off the frame with a double, and was moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Tollison. DeWolfe quickly drove him in with a double in the next at-bat.
In the top of the third inning, junior outfielder Zac Lenns reached first base via an error by the Bulldog second baseman. After Lenns stole second, senior shortstop Michael Wilson knocked an RBI double to left center field. In the next-at bat, Curry advanced to second base on a fielder's choice when Wilson was thrown out at third. Gress would go on to score Curry with an RBI single right up the middle of the diamond that gave FMU a 3-0 lead.
Francis Marion added another run in the top of the seventh inning when a Lenns' sacrifice fly scored junior catcher Nick McGee who doubled to start the frame. The Patriots' fifth run came off the bat of Tollison who singled home Curry, who drew a walk to begin the inning and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Tollison.
FMU broke the game open in the ninth inning with four runs on three hits and a Bulldog error. Lenns added an RBI single that scored sophomore second baseman Cole Morris, who led off the inning with a base knock. Pinch hitter Casey Gebhardt tallied a two-RBI single, while Wilson had an RBI fielder's choice to score senior outfielder Isaac Davenport.
Barton scored its three runs of the game in the bottom half of the ninth inning. Mitchell Wheeler led the Bulldogs with three hits in five trips to the plate. Dillon Rudio was 1-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs.
Francis Marion 9, Barton 3 (Mar 11, 2014 at Wilson, N.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 012 000 114 - 9 9 2 (11-9)
Barton.............. 000 000 003 - 3 7 5 (7-15)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Gordon Owens; Austin Cox(5); Cody Dix(8); Chance DuCharme(9);
Ben Keane(9); Brandon Stoots(9) and Nicholas McGee. Barton - Jernigan,R.; Brann,B.(8);
Breasseale,S(9) and Merryman,S..
Win-Austin Cox(1-0) Loss-Jernigan,R.(0-3) T-2:32 A-117
Weather: 70s
Keane faced 3 batters in the 9th.
