GASTONIA, NC – Sophomore right-handers Robbie Jordan and Josh Adams combined on a six-hitter lifting sixth-seeded Francis Marion University to a 3-1 win over seventh-seeded Erskine in the single-elimination play-in round of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament, Wednesday evening (May 3).
 
The Patriots (26-23) will play against the top-seeded and top-ranked North Greenville University (44-6) on Thursday (May 4) at 7 p.m. in the double-elimination portion of the tournament at CaroMont Health Park in Gastonia.
 
Jordan (5-3) picked up the win by tossing eight strong innings, allowing one earned run on six hits, walking two, and fanning four batters. Adams earned his fifth save by going three-up-three-down in the top of the ninth.
 
The Flying Fleet rank among the top hitting teams in Conference Carolinas with a team average of .317, are second in hits with 543, and hit the most home runs at 89.
 
Junior left fielder Zack Summerville led FMU with two hits, including a triple and a run batted in, while five Patriots registered a hit apiece. Graduate student right fielder Will Hardee saw his streak of safely reaching base come to a close at 32 contests.
 
With runners on the corners in the second, the Patriots would draw first blood on an RBI groundout from senior catcher Isaac Schuck. FMU would plate a second run after Summerville singled up the middle to score freshman Charlie Bussey III with two outs.
 
In the third, senior second baseman Tanner Wakefield scored what would be the Patriots' final run of the game on an RBI-single to center field by sophomore first baseman Kollin Crepeau.
 
A two-out RBI single down the right field line in the fifth by Jude Littrel would provide the lone run for the Flying Fleet.
 
Joe Alegre (9-3) took the loss for the Flying Fleet who finish their season at 29-20.
 
The Francis Marion defense played errorless ball and turned a pair of double plays in support of Jordan and Adams.
 
 
Francis Marion 3, Erskine 1 (May 03, 2023 at Gastonia, N.C.)
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Erskine.................. 000 010 000  -  1  6  2      (29-20)
Francis Marion...... 021 000 00X  -  3  7  0      (26-23)
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Pitchers: Erskine - J. Alegre; J. Hummel(5); P. Cassell(8) and D. Boyd. Francis Marion -
Robbie Jordan; Josh Adams(9) and Isaac Schuck.
Win-Robbie Jordan (5-3)  Save-Josh Adams (5)  Loss-J. Alegre (9-3)  T-2:11  A-72
Weather: 67, clear, wind NW 15mph
J. Alegre faced 2 batters in the 5th.