MOUNT OLIVE, NC – Graduate student second baseman Tanner Wakefield racked up four hits with a season-high four runs batted in to help Francis Marion University down 9th-ranked University of Mount Olive 12-11, Sunday evening (April 23) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
 
FMU finishes the regular season at 25-23 overall, while securing a 16-13 record in their second season in Conference Carolinas. The Patriots currently sit at fifth in the league standings awaiting final seeding for the Conference Carolinas Tournament in Gastonia, N.C., from May 3-7 at CaroMont Health Park.

Sophomore reliever Tyler Reynolds (2-2) picked up the win with two innings of work. Sophomore closer Josh Adams earned his fourth save of the season by finishing the contest with a scoreless ninth.
 
Graduate student right fielder Will Hardee followed behind Wakefield with three hits, two RBIs, and three runs scored, while senior third baseman Naphis Llanos posted a two-hit day with one RBI. 
 
Hardee now has 119 career walks and breaks the school record previously set by Derrick Roadcap (1991-94). He also sits at 284 career hits, now within three of the school record total of 287 set by Michael Wilson. In the process, Hardee extended his streak of safely reaching base to 32 contests.
 
After both sides traded runs in the first frame, the Trojans scored six runs over the next two innings to lead 7-1. The three runs in the second all came from bases-loaded situations, while the three runs in the third were scored on a two-run homer run by Cooper George and a solo homer by Mike Kenney.
 
From the fourth to the sixth, the Patriots scored nine runs to the Trojan's two in a dominant response to the Mount Olive start.
 
A sacrifice fly by senior catcher Isaac Schuck in the fourth started the scoring run for Francis Marion, while junior shortstop Blake Falor singled through the right gap to plate another Patriot and shrink the UMO lead to four runs at 7-3.
 
After a Wakefield two-run home run over the left field wall in the fifth cut the Trojan lead to two runs, Mount Olive stretched its advantage back to four after an RBI double and a score on a throwing error at go up 9-5.
 
Freshman designated hitter Charlie Bussey III scored off the hot corner on a failed pick-off attempt in the sixth, while an RBI-double from sophomore center fielder Caleb Oakley and a two-run RBI double from Hardee tied the score at 9-9.
 
With two outs and the bases loaded, Bussey III batted for the second time and recorded an RBI walk to give the Patriots the lead at 10-9.
 
A JT Stone solo home run in the seventh evened the score at 11-11.  However, the Patriots plated two in the eighth to jump in front 12-10.  RBI-singles by Wakefield and Llanos accounted for the outburst.
 
UMO's George hit a sacrifice fly for the Trojans and dropped the FMU lead down to one run at 12-11 in the eighth.
 
Senior reliever Trey Deutsch (1-1) picked up the loss for Mount Olive (30-11, 16-9).
 
 
Francis Marion 12, #9 Mount Olive 11 (Apr 23, 2023 at Mount Olive, NC)
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Francis Marion...... 100 225 020  - 12 12  1      (25-23, 15-14 CC)
Mount Olive........... 133 020 110  - 11 15  3      (31-11, 17-9 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Matt Dooley; Cory Poulsen(3); Connor Kirkley(4); Austin Moore(5); Tyler Reynolds(6); Ben Thornton(8); Josh Adams(9) and Isaac Schuck. Mount Olive - Hunter Stevens; Caleb Irwin(4); Blake Gipson(5); Carson Gipson(6); Hayden Myrick(6); Trey Deutsch(7); Justin Koehler(8); Andrew Ledbetter(9) and Mike Kenney.
Win-Tyler Reynolds (2-2)  Save-Josh Adams (4)  Loss-Trey Deutsch (1-1)  T-3:10  A-321
HR FMU - Tanner Wakefield (4).
HR UMO - Cooper George (1); JT Stone (6); Mike Kenney (2).
Weather: 68, Sunny
Dooley faced 2 batters in the 3rd.