FLORENCE, SC – Junior third baseman Randy Loew drove in five runs and senior utility player Matt Rubino plated four to power Francis Marion University to a non-conference doubleheader sweep of visiting Barton College, Wednesday evening (April 1) in college baseball action.  The Patriots won the opener 10-1 and the nightcap 13-5 as both games were seven-inning contests.

Francis Marion has won nine of its last 10 games and improves to 21-10 overall, while the Bulldogs drop to 13-20 and have lost six in a row.

FMU will return to Peach Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Georgia College.  The Patriots and Bobcats will play a single game on Friday at 6 p.m. and a twinbill on Saturday at 1 p.m.

WATCH REPLAY OF THE DOUBLEHEADER

In Wednesday's first game, FMU sent 15 batters to plate in the bottom of the second, recorded 10 hits, and scored 10 runs.  Loew slugged a three-run homer to left centerfield and junior left fielder JD Crowe lined a two-run shot over the right field wall to highlight the frame.

FMU junior right-handed reliever Ryan Manore (2-1) got credit for the win as he tossed two scoreless innings.  Barton starter Ricky Jernigan (0-2) was the loser.

Loew finished the opener 2-for-2 with four RBIs, while Rubino, junior center fielder Casey Clauss and junior second baseman Cole Morris all had two hits.

Barton outfielders Tyler Garrett and Blake Spangenberg each had two hits in game one.

Francis Marion scored in every frame of game two and never trailed en route to the 13-5 victory.  The Patriots built a 5-0 lead after three frames.  The Bulldogs trimmed the margin to 5-2 in the top of the fourth, but FMU answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning as the Patriots again batted around.  Francis Marion added two runs in the fifth to grab a 12-2 advantage.

Rubino collected a pair of two-run doubles – one down the left field line and one down the right field line – to extend his hitting streak to 21 games. Senior first baseman Conner Wessel was 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored, and one driven in. Crowe was 1-for-1, but also walked three times, was hit-by-a-pitch, and scored four runs – one shy of the school record.

FMU junior righty Fernando Pinillos (2-0) pitched the first four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts to earn the win.  Junior righty Brandon Cook pitched the final three innings and fanned seven to earn his first save of 2015.

Bulldog right-hander Trent Fennell (0-3) surrendered the first four Patriot runs – although only one run was earned – and was tagged with loss.  FMU took advantage of 12 walks issued by six Barton hurlers.

Right fielder Hunter Pearre was 3-for-3 with three RBIs to pace Barton at the plate in game two.