FLORENCE, SC – Georgia College rallied from a three-run deficit in the third inning and then tallied seven more runs over the next six innings to capture a 13-10 win over Francis Marion University, Saturday afternoon (April 2) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.

The Patriots drop to 19-14 overall and 7-9 in conference play; while Georgia College ups its record to 18-12 overall and 8-8 in conference play.

The squads will play a twinbill on Sunday (April 3) beginning at 1 p.m. The pair of games will wrap up the Carolinas Hospital System weekend series.

Senior right-hander Fernando Pinillos (5-2) suffered the loss for the Patriots in his 10th start of the season. He struck-out one batter and walked one through two innings of work.

The Bobcats would jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. A single and an error by the Patriots allowed the first two batters of the game to reach base. FMU would turn a 6-4-3 double play, allowing a runner to advance to third base. Later in the inning, a single through the left side from Georgia College catcher Brandon Purcell plated the game's first run.

Georgia College extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the second inning, but FMU would have a rally up its sleeve. The Patriots would do all of their scoring with two outs in the bottom of the second frame. Senior second baseman Cole Morris kicked-off the scoring for the Patriots with a run-scoring single through the left side. Sophomore shortstop Brooks Kennedy extended his on-base streak to 21 games by taking a pitch off of his elbow to load the bases. Junior third baseman Antonio Pino tied the game 3-3 with his two-RBI single into right field.

Senior right fielder JD Crowe put the Patriots on top 6-3 with a three-run home run to left field. Crowe's sixth long-ball of the season would chase Georgia College starter Jonathan McKinney from the game after 1.2 innings. Right-hander Cameron Busby would enter the game and record the final out of the inning.

The Bobcats scored five times in the top of the third to regain the lead at 8-6. The outburst was highlighted by a two-RBI single to right field from senior first baseman Tanner Giesel. A walk and a single loaded the bases and would chase Pinillios from the game. Pinillios faced 16 batters, surrendering nine hits in-total. Senior southpaw Daniel Barfield would be called upon to limit the damage and take over for FMU.

The Patriots would cut the deficit to just a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Junior designated hitter Zach Callahan started the inning off with a single into center field and would be followed by a walk to Morris. Kennedy extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a bunt single to load-up the bases. Callahan scored from third base to make it 8-7 as the Bobcats surrendered the run in lieu of a double play.

The fifth inning saw both teams add to their run total as the Bobcats stretched their advantage to 10-7 with a pair of runs in the top-half of the frame. Freshman designated hitter Wesley Wommack connected for his fourth home run of the season to account for one of the runs.

Junior Chase Haas would get one of those runs back for FMU in the home-half of the inning with an RBI base hit to left field. Trailing 10-8, the Patriots looked poised to even the game up with the bases loaded and just one out. The Bobcats, however, would escape any further damage as Busby recorded back-to-back outs to end the frame.

Georgia College widened its lead to 13-8 with a run in the seventh inning, followed by a pair of runs in the eighth frame. Barfield would exit the game for the Patriots after recording the final out in the eighth. He would giveway to junior right-hander John McGinty, who worked a scoreless inning after allowing a pair of two-out walks.

Francis Marion turned to the rally caps in the last of the ninth inning. Senior righty Chris Gammon looked to close things out for the Bobcats, but would have to work a little to do so. Senior first baseman Randy Loew reached on a fielding error by the Bobcat shortstop to get things going. Junior catcher Logan Koch reached base for the second time with a single up-the-middle, giving the Patriots a pair of baserunners. The bases would be loaded after Callahan was hit on the forearm by a pitch. Pinch-hitting for Morris, sophomore Zach Paquette delivered a two-out, two-run double to pull FMU to within three runs at 13-10.

A ground-out to second base with Kennedy at the plate would seal the deal for the Bobcats, giving them the opening game of the three-game series.

Crowe, Loew, Koch, Haas, and Callahan each registered two-hit games for Francis Marion. Crowe had his seventh multi-RBI game of the season. Both Pino and Paquette drove in a pair of runs, with Koch and Crowe also extending their hitting streaks to 5 games.

Wommack led the Bobcats at the plate with four hits, lacking just a double to hit for the cycle. Purcell and Giesel finished with two hits apiece for Georgia College. Giesel drove in a game-high four runs, as Wommack accounted for three Bobcat runs.

Busby (6-2) picked up the win for the Bobcats, tossing 5.1 innings of relief. He allowed two runs on seven hits, walking two batters and fanning three.

The Bobcats outhit FMU 20-14, but Georgia College would strand 11 runners on base. Francis Marion stranded nine runners on base.