FLORENCE, SC -- Four Francis Marion University players recorded at least two hits, but USC Aiken turned four double plays en route to a 6-4 win over the Patriots, Tuesday (Feb 15) in non-conference baseball action.
 
Francis Marion suffers its first loss of 2022 and falls to 5-1.  The Patriots will host their inaugural Conference Carolinas series this weekend, beginning with a single game against Belmont Abbey College on Friday at 4 p.m.  The two squads will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Freshman right-hander Jet Smith (0-1) got the ball to start for FMU and took the loss. After the Pacers built a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning, four Patriot relievers would hold USCA hitless over the final five innings.  Senior Brock Rodgers tossed two scoreless innings, allowing no hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.
 
Fifth-year senior centerfielder Bill Hanna and graduate student first baseman Darius led the way for the Patriots, both going 2-for-3 with two walks. Nobles added a run batted in.
 
Fifth-year senior Todd Mattox went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 18 games and his streak of safely reaching base to 49 contests.  Senior catcher Lex Tuten also recorded two hits and an RBI.
 
After trailing 6-0, FMU scratched a cross a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Mattox came home on a passed ball.
 
The Patriots closed the gap to 6-4 in the fifth. The first tally came home when Mattox was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  Tuten followed with an RBI-single to right, and then Nobles walked to force in a run.  However, with the bases loaded and still no outs, the Patriots were unable to push across any more runs.
 
The Pacers turned their double plays in the first, third, eighth, and ninth innings.  The two teams combined to strand 26 runners on base: USCA 14 and FMU 12.
 
Pacer reliever Joel Haney (1-1) earned the win as he pitched the final 4.2 innings.
 
GAME NOTES
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Four Francis Marion hitters had multiple base knocks in the ballgame.
» Francis Marion left 12 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 47 South Carolina Aiken hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Patriots drew eight walks from South Carolina Aiken pitching.
» Nobles led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
» South Carolina Aiken was led offensively by freshman Dalton Graves, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
» Sophomore Joel Haney led the Pacers pitching staff, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings.


 
USC Aiken 6, Francis Marion Univ. 4 (Feb 15, 2022 at Florence, SC)
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USC Aiken........... 103 200 000  -  6 11  1      (4-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 130 000  -  4 10  3      (5-1)
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Pitchers: USC Aiken - Jacob Fletcher; Grant Stanford(5); Joel Haney(5) and Marcus Mastellone;
Carson Suess. Francis Marion Univ. - Jet Smith; Bailey Wendel(3); Tyler Reynolds(3);
Matt Dooley(5); Ben Thornton(6); Reece Kleinhelter(7); Brock Rodgers(8) and Lex Tuten.
Win-Joel Haney(1-1)  Loss-Jet Smith(0-1)  T-3:27  A-113
Weather: sunny, 59, winds N at 5mph
Fletcher faced 3 batters in the 5th.