ETTRICK, VA – A quartet of Patriots registered three-hit games and Francis Marion University scored five unanswered runs over the final two innings to rally for a 14-10 non-conference road win at Virginia State University, Wednesday (March 18) in college baseball action.

Francis Marion (14-9) sweeps the two-game series from the Trojans (13-5) and in the process scores 33 runs and totals 42 hits. 

Junior center fielder Casey Clauss (3-for-6), junior designated hitter Ryan Miller (3-for-6), senior catcher Matt Rubino (3-for-5), and junior right fielder Shuler Ward (3-for-6) led Francis Marion at the plate.  Miller's day included a double, a triple, and three runs batted in.  Rubino drove in two runs as did junior Zach Paquette (2-for-4).  FMU rapped out 20 hits.

The Patriots led 6-1 after four innings, but Virginia State exploded for nine runs in the last of the fifth to take a 10-6 advantage and knock FMU starter Grayson King from the game.

FMU pulled to within a single run at 10-9 after scoring three times in the sixth.  Francis Marion regained the lead with a two-run eighth inning.  With one out, junior left fielder J.D. Crowe and Miller both singled.  Rubino knotted the game at 10-10 with an RBI single, and after Ward singled to load the bases, Paquette brought home the go-ahead tally with a sacrifice fly.

The Patriots added three insurance runs in the ninth.

Junior right-hander Jeremiah Freeman (2-2) earned the win with 3.1 scoreless innings of work.  He allowed just three hits and struck out three.

Francis Marion will play a three-game Peach Belt Conference series this weekend at Young Harris College, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.