FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore catcher
Hunter Looper delivered a walk-off run-scoring single to give Francis Marion University a 4-3 win over 5th-ranked UNC Pembroke and to a sweep of Saturday's (Feb. 24) Conference Carolinas baseball doubleheader. FMU defeating the Braves 10-6 in game one, which was a completion of Friday's suspended contest.
The Patriots (9-3, 2-0) and Braves (11-2, 0-2) will complete the three-game series with a single game on Sunday (Feb. 25) at 1 p.m. in Sparrow Stadium.
FMU now owns six wins this season over nationally ranked opponents.
The first game of the series, originally scheduled for Friday (Feb. 23) was suspended by fog, and Saturday with no score in the bottom of the third inning and two Patriots on base. Junior right fielder
Tanner Cannon kicked off what proved to be a six-run inning with a single to left-field to load the bases. Senior left fielder
Zack Summerville plated two with a double to left center.
Designate hitter
Noah Stout followed with a sacrifice fly, and second baseman
Owen Taylor drove home Summerville with an RBI single. A runs-coring ground out by center fielder
Caleb Oakley and an RBI-single by catcher
Nick LaVigne completed the inning.
UNC Pembroke (11-2) answered with four runs in the top of the fourth inning, including three home runs, to narrow the margin to 6-4.
An error from UNCP right-handed pitcher Will Harris allowed Cannon to score in the bottom of the fourth inning. With runners on first and second, Taylor lined a hit down the left-field line to plate Summerville and advance Stout to third base. FMU finished the fourth inning leading the Braves 8-4.
UNCP catcher Jake Bradley was the fourth Brave to hit a home run, a two-run blast, to close the gap on FMU at 8-6 in the top of the sixth inning.
The Patriots extended their lead to four runs (10-6) with a two-run single by Summerville in the bottom of the seventh.
Summerville led Francis Marion with three hits, four RBIs, and two runs scored, while Cannon and Taylor also had two hits apiece as Francis Marion outhit the Braves 14-8.
Senior right-handed hurler
Connor Kirkley (1-0) claimed the win for Francis Marion in game one with
Jack Hegan picking up his second save, while UNCP's Spencer Ledford (3-1) took his first loss.
After a 30-minute lighting delay, game two got underway. Stout led Francis Marion with two hits and was followed by Summerville, Wilson, and Looper who tallied one hit.
The first two innings went scoreless despite both teams getting runners on base. Oakley was the first to score as Falor grounded into a double play in the third.
Summerville doubled in his second at-bat of the second game, sending a line drive to the wall in left-center. Stout quickly traded places on the bases, plating Summerville and moving FMU's advantage to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the fifth, FMU took a 3-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk by Stout.
UNC Pembroke quickly tied the score at 3-3 in the top of the six inning after Kody O'Connor and Jake Bradley hit their second home runs of the day.
Both teams went scoreless in the seventh inning, forcing extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning with runners on the corners, Looper singled to deep left-field for a 4-3 walk-off win.
Sophomore righty
Tyson Hall (2-0) earned the win, while Chase Jernigan (3-1) was tagged with the loss.
Francis Marion Univ. 4, #5 UNC Pembroke 3 (Feb 24, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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UNC Pembroke........ 000 003 00 - 3 6 2 (11-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 001 110 01 - 4 5 2 (9-3)
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Pitchers: UNC Pembroke - Luke Barrow; Chase Jernigan(6) and Jake Bradley.
Francis Marion Univ. -
Josh Adams;
Braxton Elms IV(6);
Tyson Hall(6) and
Hunter Looper.
Win-
Tyson Hall (1-0) Loss-Chase Jernigan (3-1) T-3:10
HR UNCP - Kody O'Connor (3); Jake Bradley (2).
Weather: Mostly Cloudy,63,W15 mph
Francis Marion Univ. 10, #5 UNC Pembroke 6 (Feb 24, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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UNC Pembroke........ 000 402 000 - 6 9 2 (11-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 006 200 20X - 10 14 1 (8-3)
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Pitchers: UNC Pembroke - Spencer Ledford; Will Harris(3); Jake Inman(4); Rhett James(8) and Jake Bradley. Francis Marion Univ. -
Chas DeBruhl;
Danny Leo(4);
Connor Kirkley(6);
Jack Hegan(8) and
Nick LaVigne.
Win-Conor Kirkley (1-0) Loss-Spencer Ledford (3-1) Save-
Jack Hegan (2) T-2:30 A-207
HR UNCP - Kody O'Connor; Joey Rezek; Jake Bradley; Michael Dolberry II.
Weather: Light rain,61, NW9 mph
Ledford faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
