FLORENCE, SC – Wingate University scored six runs over three innings off a trio of Francis Marion University relief pitchers and the Bulldogs rallied for a 10-6 non-conference win, Wednesday evening (March 11) in baseball action.

Francis Marion falls to 11-7, while Wingate improves to 15-6.  FMU will return to Peach Belt Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at USC Aiken.  The series will include a single game on Saturday at 3 p.m. and a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Senior second baseman Chandler Smetana was the lone Patriot with multiple hits on Wednesday as he went 2-for-5 and scored once.  Junior third baseman Randy Loew drove in three runs with a two-double and an RBI groundout.  Senior first baseman Conner Wessel plated a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.

Right-hander Tyler Brown, the third of five Bulldog pitchers, was credited with the win which upped his season mark to 4-2.  Junior righty Jeremiah Freeman (1-2), the fourth of seven Patriot hurlers, was tagged with the loss.

Wingate took an early 3-0 lead in the opening frame against Patriot starter Ty Simpson.  The outburst consisted of a long 405-foot, three-run homer by center fielder Thomas Spitz.  The Bulldogs added a single tally in the top of the third to lead 4-0.

Francis Marion answered with three runs in the last of the third and two more in the fourth to take a 5-4 advantage.  Loew's two-run double to the left centerfield gap put the Patriots ahead.

Wingate knotted the score at 5-5 in the sixth on back-to-back two-out doubles by Bill Krebs and Shane Billings.  The Bulldogs took a 6-5 lead when Brad Cherry delivered a two-out run-scoring single in the seventh.  Wingate then added four insurance runs in the eighth to cap the rally.

Billings led Wingate with a 3-for-5 night, while Blake Prince and Cherry both collected two hits.