Box Score AUGUSTA, GA - A career-high five hits and five runs batted in from graduate student shortstop Grayson Cottingham paced Francis Marion University to a 9-3 victory over Augusta University, Friday (March 19) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.
 
The Patriots improve to 9-6 overall and 7-6 in the PBC, while the Jaguars move to 2-10 overall and 1-9 in PBC play. FMU will conclude the three-game series at Augusta tomorrow with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. with senior southpaw Weston Rogers (2-2) and freshman righty Halton Hardy (1-2) expected to make the starts for the Patriots.
 
FMU senior right-handed pitcher Daniel Twitty (3-0), a Sumter native, went five innings giving up six hits and two runs, while striking out five. Graduate student Christian Umphlett logged his third save of the season with three innings of work, during which he allowed no hits or runs and fanned two.
 
Sophomore Noah Fritz (0-2) took the loss for the Jaguars.
 
Four Patriots registered multiple hits in the victory with Cottingham leading the way at 5-for-5 with a run scored one and the five driven in. The Florence, native recorded his first five-hit game, including two doubles and a home run. Junior catcher Daulton Dabbs went 2-for-4, scoring once, and plating a run, while senior third baseman Todd Mattox went 2-for-5 and scoring two runs, and senior first baseman Darius Nobles went 2-for-4, scoring three times and driving in one run.
 
Francis Marion struck first in the opening inning thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles, first from Nobles and second from Cottingham. Augusta answered with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to draw the score to within 2-1.
 
The Jaguars knotted things up in the third inning, but the Patriots quickly added three more runs. Junior catcher Daulton Dabbs singled down the left-field line scoring second basemen Tanner Wakefield and designated hitter Austin Moore, before junior right fielder Will Hardee sent Dabbs home on a double to center field. FMU added to its lead again in the fifth inning when Cottingham clouted a three-run home run to left field.
 
The Patriots added another insurance run in the seventh on Cottingham's fifth and final hit of the game, an RBI double to right-center field. Augusta added a run in the bottom of the seventh, before Umphlett made his 74th career appearance and earned his 11th career save.
 
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.


Francis Marion 9, Augusta 3 (3/19/2021 at Augusta, GA)
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Francis Marion...... 200 330 100  -  9 14  1      (9-6, 7-6 PBC)
Augusta............. 101 000 100  -  3  7  1      (2-10, 1-9 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Daniel Twitty; Bailey Wendel (6); Christian Umphlett (7) and Daulton Dabbs.
Augusta - N. Fritz; R. Willard (5); T. Gordon (8) and .
Win-Daniel Twitty (3-0)  Save-Christian Umphlett (3)  Loss-N. Fritz (0-2)  T-  A-75
HR FMU - Grayson Cottingham. HR AUG - B. Markiewic.
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