FLORENCE, SC – Junior third baseman Alex Griffith lifted a long two-out, three-run double in the bottom of the 10th inning to rally Francis Marion University to a 10-9 win over Limestone College, Friday evening (March 2) in non-conference baseball action.

FMU improves to 8-10, while the Saints fall to .500 at 8-8. The two squads will play a single game on Saturday at 2 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.

FMU senior designated hitter Tee DuBose led the Patriots at the plate with a 3-for-4 night that included three runs scored, a pair of doubles, a home run, and three runs batted in.  Griffith finished 2-for-4, while junior shortstop CJ Mackinson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Despite allowing two runs in the top of the 10th frame, FMU sophomore right-handed Christian Umphlett (2-2) got credit for the win.

Right fielder Matt Orth paced Limestone at the plate with four hits, four RBIs, and a pair of home runs. Lead-off batter Trace Whetsell went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI.

The Patriot rally in the 10th began with a lead-off double by Dubose. Left fielder Gage Taylor blooped a single to shallow center and a walk to center fielder Henry Davis IV loaded the bases with one out.  After reliever Tim Bouchard fanned the next Patriot batter for the second out, Griffith lofted an 0-1 pitch just beyond the center fielder onto the warning track in deep right center with all three runners scoring standing up.

Designated hitter Brennan Strovink gave the Saints a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first with a two-out, two-run single through the right side.  The margin doubled to 4-0 in the second on run-scoring hits by Whetsell and Orth. The second hit coming with two outs and knocking Patriot sophomore starter Sam High from the game.

A high fly ball to deep right field by DuBose was misplayed into a double in the bottom of the second.  He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored the Patriots' first run on a ground out by Taylor.

The Saints regained their four-run margin (5-1) in the third when the windy conditions affected a high pop-up behind first base that fell in for a two-out RBI-single by Channing Painton.

First baseman Zach Piazza led off the fourth with a 383-foot solo homer over the left field wall to put the Saints up 6-1.

FMU trimmed the deficit in half (6-3) in the last of the fourth as Mackinson led off with a double down the left field line and one batter later DuBose deposited a 2-2 pitch from Saints' southpaw Anders DeShields over the left field wall and onto the grassy berm.

Three walks in the bottom of the sixth chased DeShields from the mound and reliever Michael Todd Harris (0-1) issued a free pass to his first batter, DuBose, to force in a run and bring the Patriots to within 6-4. A fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Taylor brought in FMU's fifth tally. Etheridge, the Saints' center fielder, helped Limestone escape further damage as he caught a long fly ball by Davis IV as he crashed into the wall.

Mackinson delivered a ringing two-out RBI double off the left field wall to knot the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh.  However, Orth put the Saints back on top with a long 402-foot solo shot over the right center field wall with one out in the top of the eighth.  

Davis worked a full-court walk to lead off the bottom of the ninth.  With one out, he advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third when the throw from the catcher went into center field. After a strikeout, Robbins battled back from a 0-2 hole to lace an RBI-single into right and tie the score at 7-7.

Whetsell led off the top of the 10th with a long drive that eluded the Patriot center fielder for a triple and one batter later Orth homered just inside the right field foul pole to give the Saints a 9-7 advantage.

Francis Marion Univ. 10, Limestone College 9 (Mar 02, 2018 at Florence, SC)
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Limestone College... 221 100 010 2 -  9 14  4      (8-8)
Francis Marion Univ. 010 202 101 3 - 10  9  0      (8-10)
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Pitchers: Limestone College - Anders DeShields; Michael Todd Harris(6); Tim Bouchard(10) and
Kyle Strovink; Brandon Banks. Francis Marion Univ. - Sam High; Arien Seymour(2); Evan Flynn(7);
Austin Roseberry(9); Christian Umphlett(10) and William Robbins.
Win-Christian Umphlett (2-2)  Loss-Michael Todd Harris (0-1)  T-3:58  A-479
HR LC - Zach Piazza (4); Matt Orth 2 (5). HR FMU - Tee DuBose (1).
Weather: Sunny, 62, winds NW @ 4 mph
DeShields, A faced 3 batters in the 6th.