CENTRAL, SC -- Francis Marion University battled from three runs down in the sixth inning to defeat Southern Wesleyan University 13-6, Friday night (April 1) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
Senior righty
Reece Kleinhelter (3-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Francis Marion (18-12, 8-8). Kleinhelter went six innings, equaling his longest outing as a Patriot, and surrendered only one run on five hits, while allowing two walks and striking out five.
At the plate, the Patriots were led by senior designated hitter
Leniel Gonzalez who went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, and three runs batted in. Senior third baseman
Todd Mattox extended his streak of safely reaching base to 73 games dating back to the 2020 season, and is now only 15 games shy of the NCAA Division II record. He chipped in with three hits in five trips to the plate while adding a walk and an RBI. Senior right fielder
Will Hardee finished the game 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs.
The Patriots got on the board early, in the top of the first inning when Gonzalez tripled in Mattox off senior righty Beau Shaw of the Warriors.
SWU then rallied to score five runs and take a 5-1 lead before the Patriots got back on the board in the fifth inning. FMU would bring home a pair, with one run driven in by Mattox's single tightening the Warrior's lead to 5-3.
Southern Wesleyan built its lead to 6-3 before the Patriot offense got back to work, overtaking the Warriors to grab a 9-6 advantage in the seventh inning. The Patriot's bats heated up in the inning, scoring six runs, including a two-run single off the bat of freshman shortstop
Tyler Reynolds.
The Patriots held the Warriors scoreless before their offense got things rolling in the eighth inning. Junior second baseman
Naphis Llanos crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning on a throwing error, bringing the score to 10-6 in favor of FMU.
FMU expanded its lead to 13-6 in the ninth inning with three runs. Hardee doubled in two runs, while Gonzalez plated the final tally with a double.
Both Reynolds and senior second baseman
Tanner Wakefield also finished with two hits.
SWU reliever Jacob Standridge (1-5) was tagged with the loss.
Francis Marion 13, Southern Wesleyan 6 (Apr 01, 2022 at Central, SC)
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Francis Marion.......... 100 020 613 - 13 17 1 (18-12, 8-8 CC)
Southern Wesleyan... 122 001 000 - 6 14 2 (7-25, 2-17 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Halton Hardy;
Reece Kleinhelter(4) and
Lex Tuten.
Southern Wesleyan - Beau Shaw; Jacob Standridge(5); Ryan Moore(7); Andrew Patterson(9) and Will Pitts.
Win-
Reece Kleinhelter(3-1) Loss-Jacob Standridge(1-5) T-3:30 A-102
GAME NOTES
» Gonzalez compiled four hits on the day for Francis Marion.
» Kleinhelter struck out five Warriors hitters.
» The Patriot's power output was led by Gonzalez, who picked up 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 seventh when it pushed six runs across.
» Five Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots had a total of 17 hits.
» The Patriots out-hit the Warriors at a 17-14 clip.
» Francis Marion went 6-for-14 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 44 Southern Wesleyan hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out six.
» The Patriots drew six walks from Southern Wesleyan pitching.
» Gonzalez led the Patriots at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, and three RBIs.
» Southern Wesleyan was led offensively by junior Josh Galloway, who went 4-for-5 with an RBI.
