FLORENCE, SC – A walk-off grand slam by senior catcher Isaac Schuck in game one and a walk-off two-run single by freshman third baseman Charlie Bussey III in game two powered Francis Marion University to a doubleheader sweep, 7-3 and 6-5, of Southern Wesleyan University, Saturday (Apr. 1) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
 
Francis Marion completes the three-game series sweep to improve to 18-19 overall and 11-10 in conference play.  The Patriots move into fifth place in the league standings.
 
FMU will host Augusta University on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as the Patriots seek their sixth consecutive win.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Schuck drilled an 0-1 pitch from Josiah Sizemore 357 feet over the left field wall to give Francis Marion a 7-3 victory in the opening contest.  The game was scheduled for only seven innings, and since it went nine innings, by conference rule the second game of the twinbill became the seven-inning game.
 
Schuck finished the game with two hits, while sophomore center fielder Caleb Oakley went 3-for-5.
 
FMU senior right-hander Austin Moore (1-1) was the beneficiary of the outburst.  He tossed three innings in relief and allowed only a single baserunner.  Between he and Patriot starter Chas DeBruhl, FMU retired 16 of the final 17 Southern Wesleyan batters to come to the plate.  DeBruhl allowed the three runs on only four hits, while striking out a career-high nine batters.
 
SWU first baseman Clifton Olmstead, mired in a 1-for-18 slump this season, opened the scoring with a solo home run to left field in the second inning.  The margin doubled to 2-0 when third baseman Cam Mitchem blasted a solo shot down the left field line in the third, while FMU stranded five runners over the first three frames.
 
In the fourth, catcher Justin Purdom lined the Warriors' third solo homer of the game to left field, but the Patriots answered with their first run in the bottom of the inning.  Schuck led off with a double just inside the third base bag.  He moved to third on a ground out and scored on an RBI-ground out by Bussey III.
 
A two-out RBI single back up the middle by junior shortstop Blake Falor got FMU to within 3-2 in the sixth.  Still trailing 3-2 entering the seventh and final inning, SWU starter Steven Mufareh retired the first two Patriot batters.  Sophomore first baseman Kollin Crepeau kept the game going by beating out an infield single to third base.  Freshman Peyton Starkey pinch ran for Crepeau and promptly stole second base.  Wakefield took a 2-2 pitch and dropped a run-scoring single into left field to plate Starkey and knot the score at 3-3.
 
After a scoreless eighth inning, Francis Marion mounted its game-winning attack in the bottom of the ninth.  Oakley recorded a one-out single, but was forced at second base for the second out on a ground ball by Hardee.  The relay throw to first on the play was wild and Hardee took second base.  Walks to sophomore first baseman Tyler Reynolds and Wakefield loaded the bases, setting the stage for Schuck's walk-off hit.
 
Warrior reliever Josh Fenton (2-1) was tagged with the loss.
 
In the second contest, FMU entered the bottom of the seventh and final inning trailing 5-4.  Reynolds led off with a pinch hit single and was pinch run for by Starkey.  A throwing error on a pick-off attempt sent Starkey to second.  Crepeau then walked before Wakefield was retired on strikes.  On the strikeout, Starkey was caught off second, but the third baseman dropped the throw during the rundown and both runners moved up to second and third.
 
Schuck was walked intentionally to load the bases, but that was followed by a line out to right for the second out.  Bussey III then drove a 2-2 pitch deep into the left center field gap scoring the tying and winning runs and setting off a second on-field celebration.
 
Senior righty Ben Thornton (2-1), the final of four FMU hurlers, earned the win with a scoreless seventh inning. 
 
SWU reliever Andrew Patterson (1-1) was the losing pitcher.
 
Oakley, Bussey III, and senior designated hitter Naphis Llanos all registered two hits for FMU in the nightcap.
 
Both teams scratched single runs in the first inning of game two.  Crepeau accounted for the Patriot tally with an RBI-single off the diving first baseman's glove.
 
Senior right fielder Will Hardee laced an RBI-single to left center in the third frame to put FMU up 2-1.  Later in the inning, Hardee scored on a wild pitch and Llanos blooped a fly ball run-scoring single (that was lost in the evening sky by the outfielder) into left to give Francis Marion a 4-1 lead.
 
Olmstead hit a deep grand slam into the trees beyond the left field wall in the fourth to stake the Warriors (12-22, 7-11) to a 5-4 advantage, and the score remained that way until the seventh.
 
Wakefield extended his streak of safely reaching base to 29 contests by reaching in both contests.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 7, Southern Wesleyan U. 3 (Apr 01, 2023 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Southern Wesleyan U. 011 100 000  -  3  5  2      (12-21, 7-10 CC)
Francis Marion Univ… 000 101 104  -  7  9  0      (17-19, 10-10 CC)
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Pitchers: Southern Wesleyan U. - Steven Mufareh; George Schodowski(7); Josh Fenton(9);
Josiah Sizemore(9) and Justin Purdom. Francis Marion Univ. - Chas DeBruhl; Austin Moore(7) and Isaac Schuck.
Win-Austin Moore (1-1)  Loss-Josh Fenton (2-1)  T-2:45  A-129
HR SWU - Cam Mitchem (6); Clifton Olmstead (1); Justin Purdom (1).
HR FMU - Isaac Schuck (2).
Weather: Overcast,68,Wind NE @ 16 mph
Sizemore, J faced 2 batters in the 9th.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 6, Southern Wesleyan U. 5 (Apr 01, 2023 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Southern Wesleyan U. 100 400 0 -  5  9  2      (12-22, 7-11 CC)
Francis Marion Univ. 103 000 2 -  6 12  2      (18-19, 11-10 CC)
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Pitchers: Southern Wesleyan U. - Mikah Gustavson; Andrew Patterson(3); George Schodowski(7) and
TJ Highsmith; Justin Purdom. Francis Marion Univ. - Matt Dooley; Connor Kirkley(4);
Cory Poulsen(6); Ben Thornton(7) and Isaac Schuck.
Win-Ben Thornton (2-1)  Loss-Andrew Patterson (1-1)  T-2:41 
HR SWU - Cam Mitchem (7).
Weather: Clear,76,Wind NE @ 19 mph
Gustavson, M faced 3 batters in the 3rd.
Patterson, A faced 2 batters in the 7th.