FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University bats erupted for 28 hits and the Patriots received two good relief outings from the bullpen as FMU swept a baseball doubleheader from King University, 11-4 and 7-5, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7) in the Pepsi Cola Pop-Off Series.

The three-game weekend series will conclude on Sunday with a single game at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium.

In the opener, Francis Marion banged out 16 hits.  The Patriots scored twice in the second inning and three times in the third to claim an early 5-1 lead.

Senior second baseman Matt Rubino went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a run batted in.  Senior catcher Nicholas McGee drove in three runs with a two-run home run to left centerfield in the second and a single in the eighth.

In addition to McGee, three other Patriots rapped out two hits: left fielder JD Crowe (2-for-5), first baseman Conner Wessel (2-for-5 RBI), and right fielder Zac Lenns (2-for-3, 2 RBIs).

Junior left-hander Matt Kelley (1-1) relieved FMU starter Daniel Barfield in the third inning and pitched 6.1 innings to earn the win.  He struck out seven, did not issue a walk, and allowed two earned runs on eight hits.

King starter Alex Martin (1-1) took the loss as he allowed nine runs (all earned) on 11 hits in 4.1 innings.

In the second contest, Crowe (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), McGee (2-for-3), Rubino (2-for-4, RBI), and Lenns (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) all rapped out two more hits.  Sophomore third baseman Zach Callahan also went 2-of-3 with a triple in game two.

Among Crowe's hit was a 391-foot solo homer over the right centerfield wall to lead off the seventh inning. That bomb extended Francis Marion tenuous 6-5 lead to a two-run margin.

Francis Marion built a 4-2 lead through three innings behind junior righty starter Fernando Pinillos (1-0).  He pitched into the sixth inning, allowing five runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.  Junior lefty Jimmy Lindberg got the final out of the sixth inning and followed with three scoreless frames to earn his first save as a Patriot.  He fanned six, while walking no one and allowing only two singles.

Kings' game-two starter Tyler Raymond (0-1) lasted only 1.1 innings and suffered the loss.  Raymond did collected two hits at the plate as the designated hitter.  Catcher Derrick Moore drove in three of the Tornado's five runs with a two-run homer and an RBI single.

Altogether during the twinbill, FMU hurlers fanned 23 King batters

Francis Marion Univ. 11, King University 4 (Feb 07, 2015 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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King University.....     001 000 012  -  4  9  2      (1-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 023 040 02X  - 11 16  1      (2-2)
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Pitchers: King University - Alex Martin; Jason Nebrat(5); Mark Michael(8) and Mark Hencken.
Francis Marion Univ. - Daniel Barfield; Matt Kelley(3) and Nicholas McGee.
Win-Matt Kelley(1-1)  Loss-Alex Martin(1-1)  T-2:53  A-546
HR FMU - Nicholas McGee (1).
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 53, Winds N @ 7

Francis Marion Univ. 7, King University 5 (Feb 07, 2015 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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King University.....     002 012 000  -  5  8  1      (1-3)
Francis Marion Univ. 211 020 10X  -  7 12  0      (3-2)
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Pitchers: King University - Tyler Raymond; Heath Loyd(2); Eric Stapleton(6); Matt Jackson(8)
and Derrick Moore. Francis Marion Univ. - Fernando Pinillos; Jimmy Lindberg(6) and
William Robbins.
Win-Fernando Pinillos(1-0)  Save-Jimmy Lindberg(1)  Loss-Tyler Raymond(0-1)  T-2:19
HR KING - Derrick Moore.
HR FMU - JD Crowe (1).
Weather: Partly Cloudy,62,Winds SSW @13