NEWBERRY, SC – Francis Marion University fell to 12th-ranked Newberry College 4-2 on Sunday (Feb. 4) in the last game of the season-opening series despite an early home run from junior shortstop Peyton Wilson.
 
Francis Marion returns to the field on Saturday (Feb. 10) for an out of conference doubleheader against Emory & Henry College. The first pitch will be thrown at 1 p.m. at Sparrow Stadium in Florence, S.C.
 
FMU senior third baseman Blake Falor and junior outfielder Noah Stout led the Patriots with two hits apiece while Wilson, junior outfielder Tanner Cannon, junior infielders Owen Taylor and Kollin Crepeau recorded one hit each.
 
Wilson tallied the first run for Francis Marion (2-1) with one-out in the top of the first inning, hitting a solo homer to right field. Both teams went scoreless in the second, third, and fourth inning.
 
Newberry (1-2) answered Francis Marion's one run lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run double into left field from centerfielder Donovan Ford to take the lead at 2-1. The Wolves recorded one more run before being retired the fifth inning, holding a 3-1 lead.
 
With runners on the corners and two out in the seventh, Newberry's catcher Rhett Jolly singled to account for the Wolves' final run and a 4-1 margin.
 
Wilson claimed his second RBI of the day as he plated Falor with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the eighth inning, trimming the score to 4-2.
 
Five Patriots pitchers threw against Newberry: right-handed pitchers Parker Henderson, Braxton Elms IV, Josh Adams, Brennan Murphy, and left-handed hurler Dylan Wiegel. Murphy (1-1) took the loss after allowing the three runs in the fifth.
 
Newberry's Ford and Jolly both drove in two runs to lead the Wolves.
 
 
#12 Newberry 4, Francis Marion 2 (Feb 04, 2024 at Newberry, S.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 100 000 010  -  2  8  1      (2-1)
Newberry............... 000 030 10X  -  4  7  1      (1-2)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Josh Adams; Brennan Murphy(4); Dylan Wiegel(5); Parker Henderson(7); Braxton Elms IV(8) and Nick LaVigne. Newberry - Ethan LeBron; Blake Morrison(8) and Rhett Jolly.
Win-Ethan LeBron(1-0)  Save-Blake Morrison(1)  Loss-Brennan Murphy(1-1)  T-2:15  A-437
HR FMU - Peyton Wilson.
Weather: 50 degrees overcast