FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University had the tying run snuffed out at the plate to end the game and dropped a narrow 3-2 pitchers' duel to Emmanuel College, Friday evening (March 17) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
 
Francis Marion (12-15, 6-7) will return to Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium tomorrow, Saturday (March 18), when the Patriots entertain Emmanuel for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
Sophomore right-hander Robbie Jordan got the start on the rubber for FMU, pitching seven innings, allowing one earned run, one walk, and fanning 11 batters to tie his career-high. Sophomore righty Josh Adams and senior righty Ben Thornton tossed one inning each striking out one, with Thornton picking up the hard-luck loss (1-1).
 
Sophomore first baseman Kollin Crepeau led the Patriots at the plate registering a team-high three hits in three at-bats, while senior second baseman Naphis Llanos had two hits.  Junior shortstop Blake Falor and graduate student left fielder Tanner Wakefield recorded the lone RBIs.
 
Seniors catcher Isaac Schuck and junior designated hitter Alex Elliott each grabbed a hit, with Schuck crossing home plate once. Sophomore outfielder Caleb Oakley came in to pinch-run and scored the other run for FMU.
 
The Lions drew first blood in the top of the third inning with a Cody Minnis RBI double to lead 1-0. The score would stay unchanged until the Patriots managed two runs in the seventh inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Elliott moved Oakley to second, Schuck pushed his lone hit into right field to put Patriot runners on the corners. Falor's RBI single scored Oakley and then Wakefield's sacrifice bunt scored Schuck to give Francis Marion a 2-1 lead.
 
Emmanuel's Jonathan Manibusan crushed a two-run homer to left centerfield in the top of the ninth to power the Lions ahead 3-2, with the Patriots having one last chance at the dish.
 
Schuck walked to lead off the bottom of the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  With two outs, Llanos singled back up the middle, but Lions shortstop Kyle LaCross smothered the ball before it reached the grass and then fired home to nab Schuck trying to score the tying run.
 
Junior southpaw Clifford Brown (1-0) grabbed the win for Emmanuel (12-12, 5-5) while senior closer Tyler Mayfield recorded his sixth save of the season.

 
 
Emmanuel College 3, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Mar 17, 2023 at Florence, SC)
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Emmanuel College.... 001 000 002  -  3 11  1      (12-12, 5-5 CC)
Francis Marion Univ.. 000 000 200  -  2  8  0      (12-15, 6-7 CC)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel College - Matthew Dickey; Clifford Brown(7); Tyler Mayfield(9) and
Nick Dietsch. Francis Marion Univ. - Robbie Jordan; Josh Adams(8); Ben Thornton(9) and Isaac Schuck.
Win-Clifford Brown (1-0)  Save-Tyler Mayfield (6)  Loss-Ben Thornton (1-1)  T-2:18  A-55
HR ECBB23 - Johnathan Manibusan (1).
Weather: cloudy, 75, winds NE @ 19mph