FLORENCE, SC – Senior first baseman Trey Chapman and senior catcher William Robbins each recorded three hits and combined to drive in five runs to lead Francis Marion University to a 12-5 victory over visiting Claflin University, Wednesday evening (April 4) in non-conference baseball action.

Francis Marion (13-23) will host local Peach Belt Conference rival UNC Pembroke for a three-game series this weekend beginning with a 6 p.m. Vivid Network Solutions Night contest on Friday.

Eight different Patriots registered a base hit, while leadoff man Patrick Jackson walked four times, one shy of the school single-game record.

Chapman had a double among his hits and he drove in four runs, while junior shortstop CJ Mackinson went 2-for-3, including a two-run homer – his team-leading fifth long ball of the year.

Senior designated hitter Tee DuBose also had two hits and two RBIs, while junior third baseman Alex Griffith went 2-for-4 with a run driven in.

FMU junior center fielder Gage Taylor extended his hitting streak to 20 games – fifth longest in team history – with an eighth-inning infield single.

FMU freshman right-hander Austin Roseberry (3-1) earned the win with a five-inning effort.  He surrendered four runs (all earned) on six hits, while fanning four and not issuing any walks. Four Patriot relievers followed and held the Panthers to only one unearned run on four hits in four frames.

Senior right fielder Darrell Langston led Claflin (10-22) with a 3-for-5 night that included a triple and two runs scored.  Junior left fielder Craig Hopkins, a native of Marion, drilled a two-run homer in the top of the second.

Panther southpaw Aaron Perry (0-4) started the game and was charged with the loss.  Claflin employed nine hurlers during the 3-hour and 19-minute contest.

Mackinson's two-run shot over the left field wall highlighted a four-run first inning that saw the Patriots bat around.  Chapman and DuBose also had run-scoring hits in the frame.

After Hopkins' shot in the top of the second halved the FMU lead to 4-2, Chapman walked with the bases loaded to force in a run and up the margin to 5-2 in the bottom of the second.

Claflin plated single tallies in the third and fifth innings to trim the deficit to 5-4.  In the bottom of the sixth, two-out RBI hits by Chapman (single) and Griffith (double) extended the Francis Marion advantage to 7-4.

However, the Panthers scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh to pull within 7-5.  FMU then broke the game open with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the inning.  Senior Justin Palmer, who entered the game as a defensive replacement, delivered a 2-run double down the left field line, and later in the frame, Robbins grounded an RBI single past the shortstop and Chapman and Dubose laced RBI-doubles.

The 15 hits equaled the second-highest total for the Patriots this season, and were the most since FMU rapped out 15 in a 16-12 loss to Limestone College on March 3.

FMU has now won all 15 meetings with the Panthers.  The two teams will play again on April 18 in Orangeburg.

 

Francis Marion Univ. 12, Claflin University 5 (Apr 04, 2018 at Florence, SC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Claflin University..     021 010 100  -  5 10  1      (10-22)
Francis Marion Univ. 410 002 50X  - 12 15  1      (13-23)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Claflin University - Aaron Perry; Travis Martinez(2); Christian Buford(3);
Alfie Carter(5); Makai Holloway(6); Chazz Walker(6); Roy Oliver(7); Jamal Devine(7);
Eric Dubose(8) and Malik Brown. Francis Marion Univ. - Austin Roseberry;
John-Riley Hathcock(6); Christian Umphlett(7); Sam High(8); Cole Hinnant(9) and William Robbins.
Win-Austin Roseberry (3-1)  Loss-Aaron Perry (0-4)  T-3:19  A-615
HR CLAFBB18 - Craig Hopkins (3).
HR FMU - CJ Mackinson (5).
Weather: Overcast,77,Winds W @ 21 mph
M. Holloway faced 2 batters in the 6th.
C. Walker faced 2 batters in the 7th.