GASTONIA, NC – Sixth-seeded Francis Marion University exploded for nine runs over the final four innings to eliminate second-seeded Barton College 15-8 in the elimination round of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament, Saturday afternoon (May 6) in Gastonia, N.C.  
 
FMU trailed 8-3 after the Bulldogs batted three times, but rallied with 12 unanswered runs to stay alive in the double elimination tournament.
 
The sixth-seeded Patriots (28-24) move on and will play the three-seeded and nationally ranked (#19/24) UNC Pembroke (38-13) on Saturday (May 6) at 7 p.m. for another installment of the annual Battle of I-95.
 
Senior closer Ben Thornton (4-2) picked up the win by tossing 3.2 innings and allowing no runs on one hit with a walk and four strikeouts. It was the Greer native's longest outing as a Patriot.  His previous long effort was two innings.  Senior reliever Jack Hegan preceded Thornton and threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing one walk, and fanning two Bulldogs.
 
Graduate student right fielder Will Hardee, senior catcher Isaac Schuck, and freshman designated hitter Charlie Bussey III each rattled off three hits to lead FMU at the plate. Graduate student second baseman Tanner Wakefield and sophomore first baseman Kollin Crepeau grabbed two hits apiece.
 


Trailing 8-6, FMU caught fire in the sixth, beginning with a bases-loaded single up the middle with two outs from Wakefield that tied the score at 8-8. Crepeau followed with a triple down the right field line to score two, and then he came home on a throwing error by the Bulldog's first baseman to give the Patriots their first lead at 11-8. It is the first triple of the Fort Mill native's young career.
 
Looking to extend its three-run lead in the eighth, Francis Marion's Bussey III blasted a grand-slam moon shot over the center field wall to give the Patriots a 15-8 advantage.
 
To open the game, both sides traded two runs in the first, starting with the Bulldogs logging a sacrifice squeeze bunt and a single up the middle to lead 2-0. Francis Marion picked up its two runs on a bases-loaded fielder's choice by Wakefield and a sacrifice fly by Crepeau.
 
The Bulldogs cracked a two-run homer in the second to jump in front 4-2, but a run-scoring single to center field from Schuck brought FMU to within 4-3 in the bottom of the frame.
 
Barton, which ends its season at 30-20, jumped ahead 8-3 on a grand slam from second baseman Salvatore Laimo. Prior to the homer, FMU junior left fielder Zack Summerville saved one run with a diving catch in left center field.
 
In the bottom of the third, the Patriots shrunk the Bulldog lead to three runs after Crepeau's RBI single and a fielder's choice grounder by senior infielder Naphis Llanos.
 
A Hardee RBI single to center field in the fourth, cut the deficit to two runs at 8-6 and set the stage for the late rally.  Hardee improved upon his school record for career hits, pushing his total to 291.
 
Barton's Brett Anderson (2-5) was tagged with the loss after throwing 2.1 innings of work.
 
Sophomore center fielder Caleb Oakley scored twice, but had his nine game hitting streak snapped, while Llanos extended his hitting streak to nine games and his streak of safely reaching base to 20 contests.  Wakefield pushed his hitting streak to eight games.

 
 
Francis Marion 15, Barton 8 (May 06, 2023 at Gastonia, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barton................... 224 000 000  -  8 14  2      (30-20)
Francis Marion...... 212 105 04X  - 15 15  0      (28-24)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Barton - Walker Fuller; Brett Widerman(2); Brett Anderson(4); Jacob Shapley(7);
Andrew Simone(8) and Chase Waddell. Francis Marion - Tyler Reynolds; Josh Adams(2);
Cory Poulsen(3); Jack Hegan(4); Ben Thornton(6) and Isaac Schuck.
Win-Ben Thornton(4-2)  Loss-Brett Anderson(2-5)  T-3:10  A-145
HR BARTON - Raymond Paniagua (4); Salvatore Laimo (2).
HR FMU - Charlie Bussey III (3).
Weather: 75, partly cloudy, wind S 8mph
Reynolds faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
W. Fuller faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
Poulsen faced 2 batters in the 4th.