FLORENCE, SC – Junior third baseman Todd Mattox collected a pair of hits, drove in one run, and reached base safely three times, but Francis Marion University dropped a 6-2 non-conference decision to Limestone College, Friday evening (Feb. 7) in college baseball action.

The two teams will return to Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium for a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.  FMU dips to 2-3 on the young season, while Limestone picks up its first win in five outings.

Junior third baseman Todd Mattox led Francis Marion at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance that included a run-scoring single.

FMU senior left-hander Josh Bobrowski (1-1) was the losing pitcher despite striking out eight batters in his four-inning stint.  He allowed three runs (only one earned) on five hits.  Junior Reece Kleinhelter made his first appearance as a Patriot and tossed four frames, allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts.  Altogether four Francis Marion hurlers fanned 14 Saints batters.

Limestone senior southpaw Marcus Johnson (1-1) picked up the victory as he limited FMU to one run on three hits in six innings.  Junior catcher Kyle Strovink singled and homered to lead Limestone at the plate.

Both teams scored once in the first inning on two-out hits – the Patriot run scoring on the RBI-single by Mattox.  Limestone took the lead for good with a pair of unearned runs in the second. 

Strovink drilled a 421-foot solo homer to center in the eighth to up the advantage to 4-1.  Francis Marion got a run back in the bottom of the eighth when junior first baseman Tyler Mangum singled to shallow right field and senior designated hitter Leniel Gonzalez laced an RBI-triple to the center field wall.

The Saints added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth.

Post-game comments from FMU head coach Art Inabinet

Limestone College 6, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Feb 07, 2020 at Florence, SC)
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Limestone College... 120 000 012  -  6 10  1      (1-4)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 000 010  -  2  5  1      (2-3)
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Pitchers: Limestone College - Marcus Johnson; JJ Shelton(7); Michael Sholtis(9) and
Kyle Strovink. Francis Marion Univ. - Josh Bobrowski; Reece Kleinhelter(5); Austin Moody(9);
Chad Wallen(9) and Daulton Dabbs; Trystan Freeman.
Win-Marcus Johnson (1-1)  Loss-Josh Bobrowski (1-1)  T-3:00  A-536
HR LC - Kyle Strovink (2).
Weather: Clear,50,Winds W @ 29 mph