AUGUSTA, GA – Senior right-hander Brandon Stoots pitched 6.1 effective innings and sophomore second baseman Cole Morris scored twice and drove in one run to help Francis Marion University to a 4-1 win over Georgia Regents University Augusta and a split of their Saturday afternoon (April 19) Peach Belt Conference doubleheader.  The Jaguars outlasted FMU 2-1 in game one behind senior Kip Custer's 8.1 strong innings on the mound.

The battle for eighth place in the PBC between GRU Augusta (17-28, 9-17 PBC) and the Patriots (24-20, 9-16 PBC) will conclude with a single game on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

In game two, the Jaguars took an early lead in the second inning behind Chase Loyd's RBI single.  

Francis Marion quickly erased the margin and took a 2-1 advantage in the top of the third.   Morris walked with one out and then stole second base. Senior center fielder Isaac Davenport singled through the left side with Morris holding at third.  The two Patriots then executed a double steal with Morris crossing home plate with the tying run.  Junior right fielder Zac Lenns plated Davenport with an RBI single to right centerfield.

FMU's lead increased to 3-1 following senior Luke Tollison's sacrifice fly in the fifth.  Tollison however went hitless in both games on Saturday and saw his career-best 15-game hitting streak come to an end.

In the ninth frame, senior designated hitter Dalton Gress led off with a double and eventually came around to score the fourth tally on an RBI single by Morris.

Stoots (2-1) surrendered eight hits and one run, while striking out one and walked only one.  Senior righty Jeffrey Stoner pitched the final 2.2 innings for his fifth save of 2014 and the 17th of his career.  Stoner, a native of nearby Martinez, Ga., retired all eight batters he faced with three strikeouts.

In Saturday's opener, Custer (5-6) made his longest outing of the year and the last at home for his collegiate career during 2014 Senior Day. He fanned two Patriots in the top of the first to strand FMU runners on first and second.

Connor Gilbert and Ross Miles started the Jaguar offense with consecutive singles off FMU starter Jordy Santak (4-5) in the bottom of the second. On Miles' single, Gilbert took third and Miles advanced to second on the throw. Loyd plated Gilbert with a grounder to shortstop and Zach Murray furthered the two-out rally with an opposite-field hit to right for a 2-0 GRU lead.

FMU cut the deficit in half with Davenport's RBI-single to left field in the fifth.  That hit scored junior catcher Nicholas McGee who had earlier in the frame singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Morris.

Santak pitched six innings, allowing 10 hits and the two runs. Lefty Cody Dix and righty Jeremy Hatfield combined for two scoreless and hitless innings in relief.

Senior left fielder Marquis Curry singled to lead off the FMU ninth and promptly stole second base. Curry was then trapped in a run-down on Connor Wessel's grounder to short.  Gress grounded out to end the rally and the game, with right-hander Tristan Jones picking up his fourth save.