FLORENCE, SC – Senior right fielder JD Crowe drove in the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning to help lead Francis Marion University to a 5-2 win over Georgia Southwestern State University and a crucial split of its Saturday afternoon (April 23) Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader.  The Hurricanes tossed a shutout in game one of the twinbill, coming away with a 3-0 victory.

The Patriots, now 25-20 overall and 12-14 in conference play, move into seventh place in the conference standings. Georgia Southwestern drops to 23-22 overall and 6-20 in PBC play.

Francis Marion will play the final game of the series against the Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

FMU will then host North Greenville University on Wednesday night (May 4) in the final home game of the regular season.

Junior shortstop Antonio Pino went a combined 4-for-8 at the plate with one run batted in and two walks for the FMU. Senior first baseman Randy Loew finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored in the second game for the Patriots.

In the opener, Francis Marion stranded 12 baserunners, including having had a runner on base in every inning. GSW's Jordan McIlwain (5-3) kept the Patriots off the scoreboard despite the plethora of baserunners.  He allowed six hits in seven innings, while walking five and fanning three.  Mitch Holloway pitched the final two innings to earn his fourth save of 2016.

FMU senior righty Fernando Pinillos (5-4) pitched well, surrendering only two earned runs on eight hits in 8.1 innings.  He struck out seven and walked three.  Senior southpaw Daniel Barfield recorded the final two outs in the top of the ninth.

Pino was 3-for-4 with a walk to lead FMU at the plate, while junior third baseman Zach Callahan was 2-for-4.

The Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single by catcher Dakota Long. The margin doubled to 2-0 in the seventh when Devyn Newberry reached on a throwing error, stole second, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on a run-scoring single by third baseman Alex Kranick.

Georgia Southwestern scored its final run in the ninth on Evan Alderman's RBI single.

Francis Marion put a pair of runners on base in the last of the ninth, but the Hurricanes turned a game-ending double play.

In the second game, it looked like GSW would get onto the scoreboard early with a bases-loaded situation in the top of the second inning. Senior right-hander Brandon Cook (5-3) was able to work around the two-out jam for FMU, fanning Newberry to end the threat.

Pino delivered the first run of the afternoon for the Patriots in the home portion of the third. After a pair of successful sacrifice bunts moved a pair of runners into scoring position, Pino found a 3-2 offering to his liking and sent it into center field for a single to make it 1-0. One batter later, Loew would plate a runner with a two-out run-scoring single through the right side, upping the Patriot lead to 2-0.

Cook pitched efficiently, surrendering just two earned runs on five hits in seven innings.  He struck out seven and walked three.  Junior righty Chance DuCharme recorded the final six outs to earn his first save of the season for FMU. DuCharme relieved Cook in the top of the eighth inning after the first two batters reached base via a single and hit-by-pitch. He induced a fly out followed by back-to-back punch-out's to end the frame.

GSW scored its first run of the game against Cook in the top of the fifth frame. Hurricanes catcher Brandon Weaver sent the first pitch of his at-bat into the gap for a one-out double. He would later advance to third on a wild pitch and then score on a sacrifice fly from Newberry, trimming the FMU lead to 2-1.

Francis Marion responded with two more runs in the bottom half against GSW starter Kyle Spinks (0-3). Crowe accounted for the first run, lacing his 10th double of the year into right field to push the Patriot lead back two runs at 3-1. Loew then followed suit with a single down the right field line, plating Crowe to make it 4-1.

Junior Zach Barron hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season for the Hurricanes in the top of the sixth against Cook. The long-ball cut the gap to 4-2, but would be answered by a Patriot run in the seventh. Loew scored from third as GSW turned a 4-6-3 double play, trading the run for a pair of outs.

Leading 5-2, DuCharme closed the book on GSW in the top of the ninth, retiring the side in order to secure the doubleheader split. DuCharme fanned three batters in his two innings and held the Hurricanes hitless in the process.

Spinks tossed five innings for GSW, allowing two earned runs on seven hits.

Cook, Crowe, Loew, Pinillos, and Barfield were among 12 Patriot seniors honored in pre-game festivities.