FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University plated nine runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, highlighted by a 3-run triple off the bat of senior first baseman Conner Wessel, as the Patriots rallied for a 10-3 win over the College of Saint Rose, Saturday night (Jan. 31) in the 10th-annual Carolinas Hospital System Classic co-sponsored by the Florence Area Sports Council.

The classic will conclude with three games on Sunday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. with Francis Marion (1-1) playing Pfeiffer University in the final game.

The big rally erased a 3-1 Golden Knights' lead and made a winner of lefty reliever Cody Dix (1-0), who pitched two scoreless frames.

Wessel finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and the three runs batted in.  Junior left fielder JD Crowe was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

Francis Marion took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when junior third baseman Ryan Miller singled up the middle to score junior shortstop Randy Loew.

The Golden Knights (0-2) scored twice in the top of the fifth, thanks to two hits and two Patriot errors. Saint Rose increased their advantage with a single tally in the seventh.  Shortstop Tyler Ungerland led off with a single, moved to third on a double by Derek Reed, and continued around to score when the ball was misplayed in the outfield.

In the decisive last of the eighth, Francis Marion loaded the bases with no outs.  After a strikeout, junior outfielder Casey Clauss, in his first at bat as a Patriot, plated one run with a two-strike infield single off the pitcher's glove.  Senior second baseman Matt Rubino forced home the tying run when he was hit by a pitch.

Loew forced home a third run with a walk, before Crowe sent a sinking liner to right centerfield that eluded the diving center fielder and plated two runs. After a walk reloaded the bases, Wessel sent a high fly ball over the center fielder's outstretched glove for his bases-clearing triple.

Francis Marion starter Daniel Barfield did not give up a run in 3.2 innings of work, but left after throwing 87 pitches.  Four Patriot hurlers combined on a five-hitter, registered 13 strikeouts, but did issue seven walks.

Saint Rose reliever Chris Gould (0-1) started the fateful eighth and was tagged with the loss.

FMU opened the classic with a 14-4 loss to Lenoir-Rhyne University earlier on Saturday.  Also on Saturday, Pfeiffer beat Saint Rose 6-3.

Francis Marion Univ. 10, Coll. of Saint Rose 3 (Jan 31, 2015 at Florence, SC)
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Coll. of Saint Rose.   000 020 100  -  3  5  4      (0-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 000 09X  - 10  8  5      (1-1)
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Pitchers: Coll. of Saint Rose - Joe Pokrentowski; Austin Von Herbulis(5); Chris Gould(8);
Erik Martin(8) and Patrick Griffin. Francis Marion Univ. - Daniel Barfield; Jimmy Lindberg(4);
Cody Dix(7); Jeremiah Freeman(9) and Nicholas McGee; William Robbins.
Win-Cody Dix(1-0)  Loss-Chris Gould(0-1)  T-3:33  A-523
Weather: Mostly Clear, 51 degrees
Lindberg faced 2 batters in the 7th.