TIGERVILLE, SC – Senior right fielder JD Crowe collected two hits and drove in two runs, but Francis Marion University dropped an 11-3 decision to North Greenville University, Tuesday afternoon (April 5) in non-conference baseball action.

The Patriots, now 20-16 overall, return home to host local Peach Belt Conference rival UNC Pembroke for a three-game series beginning on Friday (April 8) at 6 p.m.

FMU sophomore shortstop Brooks Kennedy saw his 23-game hitting streak come to an end, but extended his on base streak to 24 games with a walk in the eighth inning.

Freshman right-hander Cole Hinnant (1-2) was handed the loss for Francis Marion, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits over 4.1 innings of work. Six pitchers in all saw action on the mound for the Patriots.

North Greenville (28-11) built a 6-0 lead after six innings, but had to hold off a rally from FMU in the seventh frame. The Patriots scored twice in the seventh, thanks to Crowe's eighth home run of the season that trimmed the margin to 6-2.

Crowe registered his other hit in the top of the fourth inning, legging out an infield single to the shortstop.  He was the only Patriot to reach base over the first four innings.

The Crusaders responded with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the seventh inning. North Greenville second baseman Bennette Hill delivered the big hit in the frame, a single that coupled with an error allowed three runs to score.

In the top of the eighth inning, sophomore Zach Paquette delivered an RBI groundout for the Patriots to make it a 10-3 contest. North Greenville would then round out the scoring in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI base knock from Shaq Rolle.

In addition to Crowe's 2-for-4 effort at the plate, junior third baseman Antonio Pino worked a pair of walks and scored a run for the Patriots.

Hill went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the lead-off spot for the Crusaders. Shortstop Andrew Frazier finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Rolle was 3-for-5 with a one RBI and two runs scored in the number nine spot in the order for North Greenville.

Crusaders starter Tucker Burgess (4-0) earned the victory, surrendering just one hit and striking out three batters through four innings of work.


North Greenville 11, Francis Marion 3 (Apr 05, 2016 at Tigerville, SC)
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Francis Marion...... 000 000 210  -  3  2  4      (20-16)
North Greenville.... 000 222 41X  - 11 15  1      (28-11)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Cole Hinnant; Zac Burke(5); Arien Seymour(6); Connor Pate(6);
Jack Metcalf(7); Zach Callahan(7) and Logan Koch; William Robbins. North Greenville -
Tucker Burgess; Blake Hamilton(5); Tucker Moring(7); Mike Gilroy(8); John Leopard(9) and
David Houser.
Win-Tucker Burgess(4-0)  Loss-Cole Hinnant(1-2)  T-3:00  A-142
HR FMU - JD Crowe.
Weather: Sunny, 65 Degrees
B. Hamilton faced 4 batters in the 7th.
Pate faced 2 batters in the 7th.
T. Moring faced 1 batter in the 8th.