FLORENCE, SC -  Senior third baseman Todd Mattox went 6-for-10 with five runs scored and five driven in, while junior outfielder Jack Hegan racked up seven RBIs to help power Francis Marion University to a season-opening doubleheader sweep of visiting Limestone University, Saturday (Feb. 5) in non-conference baseball action. FMU won the opener 15-2 and the second contest 15-1.
 
The two squads will conclude their three-game series with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday afternoon at Sparrow Stadium.
 
Sophomore Halton Hardy (1-0) started on the mound and picked up the game-one win for Francis Marion (2-0). The right-hander went five innings, giving up two runs on six hits, allowing two walks and striking out six. Senior righty Reece Kleinhelter also made an impact on the mound for the Patriots, throwing four shutout innings while allowing two hits, with no walks and one strikeout to earn a save.
 
Hegan went 3-for-4 with a home run in addition to his six RBIs in the opener. Mattox put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs. Senior center fielder Bill Hanna also helped for Francis Marion, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate, while adding a double and two RBIs.
 
The Patriots scored in six different innings on the way to victory. Francis Marion broke a 2-2 tie and took the lead for good at 3-2 in the fourth inning on senior outfielder Will Hardee's one-out RBI double.
 
In the second contest, Mattox collected four hits with a double, a triple and two RBIs to lead the Patriots.
 
Freshman right-hander Robbie Jordan (1-0) collected the win. The Florence native went 5.1 innings, giving up only one run on four hits, allowing one walk and striking out two. Senior Cory Poulsen and junior Ben Thornton both tossed 1.1 shutout innings, while junior righty Austin Moore pitched a scoreless ninth.
 
Senior catcher Lex Tuten put together a noteworthy day at the dish as well, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs in his Patriot debut. Graduate student Darius Nobles added a hit, a sacrifice fly, and three RBIs.
 
The Patriots again scored in six different innings on the way to victory. Francis Marion broke a 0-0 tie and took the lead for good at 1-0 in the first inning on a Tuten RBI-single to center.

GAME 1 NOTES
» Hegan compiled three hits in the game for Francis Marion.
» Hardy struck out six Saints hitters.
» Hegan drove in six runs for Francis Marion.
» Every Francis Marion starter reached base safely in the win.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed four runs across.
» Five Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots had a total of 17 hits.
» The Patriots out-hit the Saints at a 17-8 clip.
» Junior Naphis Llanos stole two bases in Saturday's game.
» Francis Marion went 10-for-26 (.385) with runners in scoring position.
» The Patriots got three hits in seven at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 37 Limestone hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Patriots drew nine walks from Limestone pitching.
» Hegan led the Patriots at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run and six RBIs.
» Limestone was led offensively by sophomore Luke Harris, who went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Freshman Hunter Potzner led the Saints pitching staff, throwing one scoreless inning.
 
GAME 2 NOTES
» Mattox collected four hits on the day for Francis Marion.
» The Patriots power output was led by Mattox, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Every Francis Marion starter reached base safely in the win.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed six runs across.
» Francis Marion took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Four Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots had a total of 17 hits.
» The Patriots out-hit the Saints at a 17-7 clip.
» Francis Marion went 10-for-21 (.476) with runners in scoring position.
» The Patriots got three hits in five at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Francis Marion pitchers limited Limestone to just 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 37 Limestone hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Patriots drew five walks from Limestone pitching.
» Mattox led the Patriots at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBIs.
» Limestone was led offensively by sophomore Dylan Shugan, who went 1-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.
» Junior Kyle Perdue led the Saints pitching staff, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings.