AIKEN, SC – USC Aiken broke up a pitchers' duel by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning and the Pacers went on to claim an 8-3 victory over Francis Marion University, Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 23) in non-conference baseball action.
 
Francis Marion (6-4) will play a three-game Conference Carolinas series at North Greenville University this weekend, beginning with a single game on Friday at xx p.m.
 
On Wednesday, FMU got contributions from every part of its lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, but it wasn't enough to overcome the fifth frame.
 
Junior right-hander Austin Moore (0-1) started the fateful inning and took the loss. Junior righty Matt Dooley did toss two shutout innings while allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one.
 
Senior first baseman Leniel Gonzalez led the Patriots with two hits.
 
Francis Marion took a 1-0 advantage in the third inning when senior right fielder Will Hardee scored Tanner Wakefield from second base with RBI-single off the top of the right field wall.  The hit extended Hardee's hitting streak to eight games.
 
The Pacers (5-5) scored their seven runs on seven hits and two errors in the bottom of the fifth.  FMU responded immediately in the sixth as senior catcher Lex Tuten belted a two-run homer to right.  Senior  third baseman Todd Mattox scored ahead of Tuten on the homer as he was hit by a pitch to lead-off the frame  That extended Mattox's streak of safely reaching base to 53 games, a streak that dates back to the 2020 season. 
 
The Patriots put two more runners on base in the sixth with only one out, but were unable to push across any more runs.  USCA added an insurance tally in the seventh.
 
In addition to Mattox, junior shortstop Naphis Llanos, Hardee, and Gonzalez have safely reached base in all 10 games this season.
 
GAME NOTES
» Every Patriots starter reached base safely in the loss.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 39 South Carolina Aiken hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 10 fly balls while striking out five.
» Tuten led the Patriots at the plate, going 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
» South Carolina Aiken was led offensively by Sean McQuillan, who went 3-for-3 with an RBI.
» Senior Jacob Rye led the Pacers pitching staff, throwing three scoreless innings.
 
USC Aiken 8, Francis Marion Univ. 3 (Feb 23, 2022 at Aiken, SC)
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Francis Marion Univ. 001 002 000  -  3  9  3      (6-4)
USC Aiken............... 000 070 10X  -  8 14  0      (5-5)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion Univ. - Robbie Jordan; Chas DeBruhl(2); Matt Dooley(3);
Austin Moore(5); Cory Poulsen(5); Jet Smith(5); Tyler Reynolds(8) and Lex Tuten. USC Aiken -
Jacob Fletcher; Austin Sandifer(6); Jacob Rye(7) and Joseph Mozingo.
Win-Jacob Fletcher(1-0)  Save-Jacob Rye(1)  Loss-Austin Moore(0-1)  T-2:40  A-103
HR FMU - Lex Tuten (1).
Weather: Partly Cloudy,79,Winds NE@11
Poulsen faced 4 batters in the 5th.