GASTONIA, NC – Sixth-seeded Francis Marion University fought back through the elimination bracket to reach the championship game of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament, but the Patriots fell short losing 13-3 to four-seeded and 14th-ranked University of Mount Olive, Sunday evening (May 7) at CaroMont Health Park.
The Patriots end their second season as a member of Conference Carolinas with a 29-25 overall record. FMU defeated top-seeded/top-ranked North Greenville University 15-5 while also taking down a local rival, three-seeded, and No. 19/24 ranked UNC Pembroke 4-2 in the process of making the title game.
Mount Olive (36-15) earns its 14th Conference Carolinas Baseball Championship title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
Junior southpaw
Chas DeBruhl (6-5) started for the Patriots on short rest, but picked up the tough loss after tossing 2.2 innings. DeBruhl started this contest after throwing 95 pitches in a huge victory over top-ranked North Greenville University on May 4.
Six Patriots recorded a hit apiece, while sophomore center fielder
Caleb Oakley grabbed the only extra-base hit for FMU with a fifth-inning double.
Mount Olive grabbed an early 3-0 lead in the first, with the Trojans scoring their first run on a groundout to second base. UMO scored its last two runs of the innings with two outs on the board.
In the top of the second, graduate student second baseman
Tanner Wakefield and sophomore first baseman
Kollin Crepeau recorded singles, and a hit-by-pitch on freshman designated hitter
Charlie Bussey III loaded the bases for FMU with no outs. Fifth-year third baseman
Mickey Skole then launched a two-run single that took a high hop toward the left fielder to cut the Trojan deficit to one run at 3-2.
The Trojans responded immediately with two more runs in the third on a ground out and a solo home run by J.T. Stone (his fifth of the tournament) to restore its three-run margin. With one out and the bases loaded for FMU in the fourth, Mount Olive was able to put away the next two Patriot batters and escape a potential jam without FMU scoring.
In the fifth, graduate student right fielder
Will Hardee moved his school-record career hits total to 296 and scored Oakley with an RBI-single to right field.
Hardee, DeBruhl, and sophomore right-handed pitcher
Robbie Jordan were all named to the All-Tournament Team. Hardeefinished the tournament batting 12-for-23 with three doubles, three homers, and 11 RBIs, while Jordan picked up two wins.
After the Patriots intentionally walked the power-hitter Stone in the fifth to set up a bases-loaded situation, Cooper George scored two with a single up the middle to secure a 7-3 lead.
Two innings later, UMO cracked a pair of two-run homers en route to a six-run seventh inning that ended the contest.
Mount Olive's Dawson Gause (3-2) earned the win after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no hits allowed.
#14 Mount Olive 13, Francis Marion 3 (05/07/2023 at Gastonia, N.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 020 010 0 - 3 6 1 (29-25)
Mount Olive......... 302 020 6 - 13 16 0 (36-15)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Chas DeBruhl;
Cory Poulsen(3);
Matt Dooley(5);
Jack Hegan(7);
Josh Adams(7) and
Isaac Schuck. Mount Olive - Justin Koehler; Andrew Ledbetter(3); Dawson Gause(5) and Mike Kenney.
Win-Dawson Gause (4-2) Loss-
Chas DeBruhl (6-5) T-2:16 A-275
HR UMO - Landon Choboy (8); JT Stone (11); Alden Cottle (4).
Weather: 78, overcast, wind SW 11mph
Poulsen faced 2 batters in the 5th.
Adams faced 3 batters in the 7th.
