Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FLORENCE, SC - Sophomore left fielder
Jack Hegan hit a 2-out, 2-run single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth to give Francis Marion University a 10-9 walk-off win, and a split of Saturday's Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader with Young Harris College on Saturday (Feb. 27). The Mountain Lions won the opener 17-7 in eight innings.
The Patriots (2-4, 1-4) will take on the Mountain Lions on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the rubber match of the three-game series. Attendance is limited to 250 and that includes only season ticket holders and FMU students with pre-acquired tickets. No walk-up game-day tickets will be sold.
Senior third baseman
Todd Mattox led FMU at the plate on Saturday going 7-for-10 and driving in four runs, including five hits in game two – one shy of the Patriot single-game record.
In Saturday's opener, FMU scored first, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Senior first baseman
Darius Nobles doubled down the right-field line scoring junior
Will Hardee from second. Graduate student
Grayson Cottingham then singled to left field to score Nobles.
However, Young Harris scored three in the top of the third, one in the fourth, and six times in the fifth to assume a 10-2 advantage. The Patriots added on runs in the fifth and sixth, and three in the seventh, but the Mountain Lions took game one 17-7 in the eighth inning with the 10-run rule in effect.
Four Patriots recorded multiple hits in game one: Hardee, Mattox, Nobles, and Cottingham all rapped out two hits. Five different Patriots drove in a run.
FMU senior right-hander
Bailey Wendel (0-1), the starter for the Patriots, absorbed the loss. Chad Brown (1-0) earned the win with 6.0 innings of work.
Young Harris struck first in game two, driving in two runs in the third. FMU quickly answered in the bottom of the frame thanks to a Nobles' sacrifice fly that drove in Hardee to get to within 2-1.
The Patriots used a big fourth inning, scoring four runs to take its first lead of the contest at 5-3. Hardee singled to left-center to drive in the first run. Mattox later singled through the left side to score senior
Bill Hanna and junior
Mickey Skole, and Nobles followed with a single to right field that scored Hardee for the fourth and final run of the inning.
The Mountain Lions took a 7-5 lead thanks to three runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, however, the Patriots respond scoring twice in the sixth to tie the game up at 7 apiece. Skole scored on a wild pitch, while Hegan drove Hanna in with a single to left-center field.
Both squads plated a run in the eighth, but YHC added a run in the top of the ninth to take a 9-8 lead.
FMU sophomore infielder
Austin Moore came in to pinch-hit was hit by the opening pitch of the bottom of the ninth. Junior catcher
Daulton Dabbs advanced Moore to second thanks to a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt. Hanna singled to right-field moving Moore to third. After a pop out, and with Hegan now at-bat, Hanna stole second to get two runners in scoring position for the Patriots. The very next pitch Hegan hit a line drive up the middle to give Francis Marion the walk-off win — its first PBC victory of the year.
FMU graduate student right-hander
Christian Umphlett (1-0) received the win, while McLain Harris (1-2) was tagged with the loss for the Mountain Lions.
In addition to Mattox's 5-for-5 game-two effort, Hegan went 4-for-6, and both Skole and Hanna had two hits as FMU registered 17 base knocks in the second contest.
For the latest news and updates regarding Francis Marion baseball, follow the Patriots on Twitter at @FMUSports, on Facebook at FMUSports, and Instagram at @FMUSports or check out information online at www.fmupatriots.com.
Young Harris 17, Francis Marion 7 (Feb 27, 2021 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Young Harris College 003 164 21 - 17 13 1 (3-2, 3-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 200 011 30 - 7 12 1 (1-4, 0-4)
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Pitchers: Young Harris College - Chad Brown; Chris Cuppini(7); Ryan Inches(7) and Cole Jackson. Francis Marion Univ. -
Bailey Wendel;
Tyler Davis(5);
Brock Rodgers(5);
Reece Kleinhelter(6);
Chas DeBruhl(7);
Austin Moody(8) and
Daulton Dabbs.
Win-Chad Brown(0-1) Save-Ryan Inches(1) Loss-
Bailey Wendel(0-1) T-3:10 A-95
HR YHC - Tucker Greer (5); Jackson Jones (2); Cole Jackson (1).
Weather: Clear, 66, WSW 5 mph
Wendel faced 2 batters in the 5th.
DeBruhl faced 3 batters in the 8th.
Francis Marion 10, Young Harris 9 (Feb 27, 2021 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Young Harris College 002 131 011 - 9 14 0 (3-3, 3-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 001 402 012 - 10 17 1 (2-4, 1-4)
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Pitchers: Young Harris College - Cole Edwards; Chase Webb(4); McLain Harris(6) and Jackson Jones. Francis Marion Univ. -
Daniel Twitty;
Cory Poulsen(5);
Christian Umphlett(9) and
Mickey Skole;
Daulton Dabbs.
Win-
Christian Umphlett (1-0) Loss-McLain Harris (1-2) T-3:18 A-95
Weather: Clear, 79, WSW 9 mph
