FLORENCE, SC – The left side of the Francis Marion University infield, senior third baseman Luke Tollison and senior shortstop Michael Wilson, combined for eight hits, six runs batted in, and four runs scored to lead the Patriots to a wild 23-8 victory over Barton College, Tuesday evening (March 25) in non-conference baseball action.

Francis Marion ups record to 14-15, while Barton falls to 8-21. The Patriots will open a three-game Peach Belt Conference series in Savannah, Ga., against Armstrong Atlantic State University on Friday at 2 p.m.

Tollison registered his first career four-hit game while driving in three runs and scoring three times.  He blasted a long two-run home run to left centerfield in the third and ended the game just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.  Wilson went 4-for-6 for his sixth career four-hit game, while also driving in three runs and scoring once.

FMU senior left field Marquis Curry threatened to hit for the cycle in the opening four frames,  The Eustis, Fla., native ripped an RBI triple in the first, singled home a run in the second, and had a two-run double in the third.  His attempt at history ended when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth frame.

Patriot senior center fielder Isaac Davenport went 2-for-6 with two RBIs and four runs scored, just one tally shy of tying the Patriot single-game record for runs scored.  Altogether, 12 different Patriots entered the hit column as FMU rapped out a season-high 24 hits.

The game, which played through a brief snow and sleet storm in the middle innings, featured a combined 31 runs, 32 hits, 10 errors, and 15 walks, while 44 players were used by the two squads.

Designated hitter Mitchell Wheeler was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Barton, while catcher Jacob Willis doubled and homered in four at bats.  Reserve third baseman Chris Davis drove in three runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.

Junior left-hander Cody Dix (2-1), the second of six Patriot pitchers, was credited with the win.  Barton starter Kerry Walker (0-3) took the loss as he surrendered six runs on nine hits in two innings.

FMU plated two runs each in the first and second innings, and then pushed across five runs in the third to go ahead 9-0.  In the fourth inning, Francis Marion sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs on seven hits to take a commanding 19-0 advantage. Both Tollison and junior catcher Nicholas McGee had two hits in the fourth frame.