FLORENCE, SC – Junior center fielder Casey Clauss lined a two-run single into the right centerfield gap in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Francis Marion University a come-from-behind 9-7 win over King University, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 8) to conclude the Pepsi Cola Pop-Off Series.

The Patriots improve to 4-2 with the three-game sweep of King (1-4).  FMU will play its next five games on the road beginning with a Tuesday afternoon contest at St. Augustine's University.

Clauss finished the game 2-for-5 with the two RBIs, and a run scored.  Junior left fielder J.D. Crowe drove in three runs with a towering two-run homer and a fielder's choice grounder that followed Clauss' big hit and added an insurance run.

Junior shortstop Randy Loew and sophomore catcher William Robbins also had 2-hit days for the Patriots, and both drove in a run.

FMU twice rallied from behind to make a winner of junior relief pitcher Jeremiah Freeman (1-0).  He pitched the final three innings, allowing only one hit and no runs with three strikeouts.

Righty Nathan Helke (0-1), the fourth of five Tornado hurlers, was tagged with the loss.

King took an early 5-0 advantage thanks to a 2-run single from center fielder Forrest Haga in the top of the first, a run-scoring single by left fielder Ryan Whitt in the second, a passed ball that allowed a run to score in the fourth, and a sacrifice fly by Whitt later in the fourth.

Francis Marion got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-double to right center by senior second baseman Matt Rubino.  FMU took its first lead with a five-run sixth frame that saw the Patriots bat around.  Clauss started the inning with a triple and scored on a single by Loew.  Crowe then followed with his home run. Senior right fielder Zac Lenns knotted the score at 5-5 with a sacrifice fly and Robbins put FMU ahead with an RBI-single through the left side.

Not to be outdone, King then rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh to re-take the lead at 7-6.  One run scored on a throwing error and the second on a safety squeeze bunt by Joe Ganger.

Clauss then came to the plate in the bottom of the eight with the bases loaded and no outs.  His two-run single gave FMU an 8-7 lead, and one batter later, Crowe beat the relay throw to first base thus avoiding a double play and allowing FMU to score its ninth run.

Francis Marion Univ. 9, King University 7 (Feb 08, 2015 at Florence, SC)
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King University.....      210 200 200  -  7 10  1      (1-4)
Francis Marion Univ.    000 105 03X  -  9 11  2      (4-2)
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Pitchers: King University - Jose Sola; Josh Merrill(6); Eric Stapleton(6); Nathan Helke(7);
Mitch Stophel(8) and Mark Hencken. Francis Marion Univ. - Jordy Santak; Ty Simpson(2);
Ryan Manore(5); Cody Dix(7); Shuler Ward(7); Jeremiah Freeman(7) and William Robbins.
Win-Jeremiah Freeman(1-0)  Loss-Nathan Helke(0-1)  T-3:18  A-567
HR FMU - JD Crowe (2).
Weather: Clear, Sunny, 66, Winds SW @20
Sola faced 3 batters in the 6th.
Merrill faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Dix faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Ward faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Helke faced 4 batters in the 8th.