FLORENCE, SC – Junior second baseman Ethan Crout went 5-for-6 and drove in four runs to power 24th-ranked Flagler College to a 14-5 win over Francis Marion University, Sunday afternoon (March 26) in the rubber game of the Peach Belt Conference weekend baseball series.

Francis Marion (21-10, 5-7) will play its next two games on the road, Tuesday at third-ranked University of Mount Olive (5 p.m.) and Wednesday at Chowan University (1:30 p.m.).  The Patriots will entertain Armstrong State University next weekend with a single game on Saturday at 5 p.m. and a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Saints (21-11, 9-3) took a 4-0 advantage with single runs in four of the first five frames. FMU freshman right-handed starter Sam High (1-1) allowed the first three runs on six hits.  He did fan four Saint batters.

Flagler junior lefty Cooper Wallace (6-1) surrendered only one run, an unearned tally, on five hits in 5.2 innings.

Senior catcher Logan Koch and sophomore right fielder Cole Hinnant each registered two hits for Francis Marion.  Koch has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games during which time he is 22-for-55. 

FMU plated its first run in the sixth inning as the Saints committed a two-out error.  The Patriots added four runs in the seventh as Hinnant and senior pinch hitter Zack Haralambis delivered RBI singles, senior shortstop Zach Callahan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and senior second baseman Antonio Pino had an RBI fielder's choice grounder.

Earlier in the fifth inning, Pino singled to center field to extend his streak of safely reaching base to 25 consecutive games.

Crout's afternoon began with a long solo home run to right field in the first inning.