GREENWOOD, SC – Shortstop Bailey Connell's two-run single ignited an 8-run eighth inning that snapped a 6-6 deadlock and Lander University went on to claim a 14-6 victory over Francis Marion University, Friday night (March 23) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.

Francis Marion drops to 12-17 overall and 5-11 in the Peach Belt, while Lander improves to 8-18 and 2-11. The two teams will play the second game of their weekend series on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Lander's Dolny Stadium.

Senior catcher William Robbins, junior left fielder Gage Taylor, and junior third baseman Alex Griffith all registered two hits for the Patriots.  Both Taylor's hits were doubles as he drove in two runs and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Both Griffith's hits were also doubles, while Robbins scored once and drove in one run.

Junior left-hander Arien Seymour (0-2), the second of five FMU pitchers, took the loss as he started in the decisive eighth frame. Francis Marion sophomore starter Sam High went four innings and surrendered four runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Connell finished the game 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and four RBIs.  Robbie Hoyt (2-1), the last of four Lander hurlers, earned the win.

FMU scored three times in the second inning to take an early lead.  Junior right fielder Cole Hinnant drove in the first run with an RBI groundout.  Taylor plated the other two runs with a double.

However, Lander responded with five unanswered runs to take a 5-3 lead.  The Patriots knotted the game at 5-5 on RBI singles by senior first baseman trey Chapman and Hinnant in the sixth.

The Bearcats regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but an RBI-single by Robbins plated Taylor tying the game at 6-6 in the seventh.

The eighth-inning outburst consisted of four hits, two walks, two errors, and a hit batter.

FMU junior shortstop CJ Mackinson doubled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 contests.

Lander 14, Francis Marion 6 (Mar 23, 2018 at Greenwood, S.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 030 002 100  -  6 11  3      (12-17, 5-11 PBC)
Lander..............      012 111 08X  - 14 14  1      (8-18, 2-11 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Sam High; Arien Seymour(5); Isaac Rodgers(8); Will Taks(8);
Antonio Reneo(8) and William Robbins. Lander - T. Ergle; J. Cook(6); R. Troutman(7); R. Hoyt(8)
and Z. Moore.
Win-R. Hoyt (2-1)  Loss-Arien Seymour (0-2)  T-3:23  A-229
HR LU - C. Jones.
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 61
Seymour faced 2 batters in the 8th ; I.Rodgers faced 2 batters in the 8th.