ORANGEBURG, SC – Junior designated hitter Nick Pappas drove in three runs and scored three more as Francis Marion University knocked off Claflin University 10-5 in a non-conference baseball tilt on Wednesday evening (March 20).

Francis Marion (18-9) returns to Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium on Friday night (March 22) at 6 p.m. to begin a three-game Peach Belt Conference series against Lander University.

Freshman left fielder Will Hardee went 3-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 11 in a row, tied for the longest by a Patriot this season. Pappas had a pair of hits, as did senior shortstop CJ Mackinson.

Senior second baseman Grayland Fowler led the Panthers' (14-9) offense, accounting for three of their six hits.

FMU pounced on Claflin senior right-hander Jamal Devine (1-1) early, striking four times in the top of the first. Senior right fielder Cole Hinnant got Francis Marion started, plating Hardee with a double. One batter later, Pappas followed with a two-run two-bagger. He later scored on an error to make it 4-0.

Pappas and junior first baseman Leniel Gonzalez stretched the Patriots lead to six with an RBI apiece in the third. Hardee knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and senior catcher Alex Griffith singled Pappas home in the fifth to make it 8-0.

Mackinson brought in a run with a double and senior third baseman Fred Wadsworth notched an RBI single in the seventh to complete the Patriots' attack.

Senior righty Isaac Rodgers (5-0) tossed the first three frames for FMU, and faced the minimum while striking out five. The right-handed relief quartet of junior Austin Moody, senior Warren Specht, junior Linc Powell, and junior Christian Umphlett worked a scoreless inning apiece to keep FMU in front 10-0 through seven.

The Panthers tallied all five of their runs in the bottom of the eighth on a Fowler RBI single, three bases-loaded walks, and a wild pitch. Freshman righty Noah Davis got the Patriots out of the jam and worked 1.1 scoreless innings before junior Will Taks recorded the final out of the evening.

Devine took the loss for Claflin, surrendering four runs, three of which were earned, in his lone inning of work.

Francis Marion 10, Claflin 5 (Mar 20, 2019 at Orangeburg, SC)
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Francis Marion......    402 110 200  - 10 12  0      (18-9)
Claflin.............        000 000 050  -  5  6  1      (14-9)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Isaac Rodgers; Austin Moody (4); Warren Specht (5); Linc Powell (6);
Christian Umphlett (7); Ethan Meece (8); Noah Davis (8); Will Taks (9) and Alex Griffith. Claflin -
Jamal Devine; Angel Morel (2); Caleb Green (4); Christian Buford (4); Tavion Towers (5);
Cleveland Westbrook (6) and Clyde Parker.
Win-Isaac Rodgers (5-0)  Loss-Jamal Devine (1-1)  T-3:00  A-81
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