Box Score Savannah, Ga. (March 30, 2014) – The Francis Marion University baseball team defeated Armstrong Atlantic State University 7-3 Sunday afternoon to earn a series-sweep in Savannah, Ga.
The Patriots (17-15, 6-12 Peach Belt Conference) will return to action Tuesday night (April 1) when they host the University of Mount Olive. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. A fireworks show will take place after the game presented by CarTown Kia of Florence.
Junior righty Jeremy Hatfield (1-1) earned the victory on the mound after only pitching two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen. Senior right-hander Jeffrey Stoner earned his fourth save of the season after striking out three batters in three innings of work. Armstrong (16-15, 7-11) pitcher Ethan Bader (6-1) took the loss after giving up six earned runs in six and one-third innings on the hill.
Senior outfielder Isaac Davenport was 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs, and increased his hitting streak to 12 games. Senior shortstop Michael Wilson, senior outfielder Casey Gebhardt, and junior outfielder Zach Lenns all registered two hits and a RBI. Senior third baseman Luke Tollison finished with a RBI and a hit, and senior designated hitter Dalton Gress tallied a base knock, two RBIs, and a walk.
FMU went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Tollison that scored Davenport, who opened the game with a leadoff single. Gebhardt hit a solo homerun to put FMU up 2-0 in the second inning, and scored on Davenport's RBI single in the third to increase the lead to 3-0.
After posting a run in the bottom of the fifth, Armstrong's Berry Aldridge hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 3-3 after six innings. However, the game wouldn't stay tied for long as the Patriots re-took the lead on a RBI double by Wilson that scored Lenns in the top of the seventh. Wilson then took third base on a balk, and Tollison was hit by a pitch and later stole second base. Gress scored both of them on a two-RBI single up the middle to put FMU up 6-3.
Lenns gave the Patriots an insurance run with a RBI single in the top of the eighth inning. Stoner sat the Pirates down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings to seal the Patriots' sweep.
Aldridge finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, while the Armstrong's R.J. Dennard also registered two base knocks. Tyler Avera was 1-for-4 with a RBI.
Francis Marion 7, Armstrong 3 (Mar 30, 2014 at Savannah, Ga.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 110 100 310 - 7 11 0 (17-15, 6-12 PBC)
Armstrong........... 000 012 000 - 3 10 2 (15-14, 7-11 PBC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Brandon Stoots;
Jeremy Hatfield(6);
Jeffrey Stoner(7) and
Nicholas McGee. Armstrong - Ethan Bader; Tyler Green(7) and Berry Aldridge.
Win-
Jeremy Hatfield(1-1) Save-
Jeffrey Stoner(4) Loss-Ethan Bader(6-1) T-2:39 A-211
HR FMU -
Casey Gebhardt (2).
HR ARMSTRNG - Berry Aldridge (1).
Weather: clear and breezy
