MURFREESBORO, NC – Sophomore center fielder
Caleb Oakley rapped out three hits and sophomore third baseman
Peyton Starkey hit a grand slam to key Francis Marion University to a 6-5 road win over Chowan University, Sunday afternoon (March 10) in the opening game of a three-game Conference Carolinas baseball series.
Francis Marion improves to 11-8 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The two squads will play a doubleheader on Monday at noon.
Junior second baseman
Owen Taylor followed Oakley with two hits as the Patriots outhit the Hawks 9-6.
Senior left-hander
Chas DeBruhl (3-1) pitched seven strong innings, allowing only one run on three hits with eight strikeouts. He left with the Patriots holding a 2-1 lead.
Taylor gave FMU a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first with a run-scoring single that plated Oakley. The margin was doubled to 2-0 in the third when senior left fielder
Zack Summerville doubled, moved to third on a single by Taylor, and scored on an RBI ground out by junior right fielder
Tanner Cannon.
A solo homer by Chowan right fielder Dawerlyn Amancio in the sixth trimmed the margin to 2-1.
Francis Marion loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth on two walks and a hit batter, before Starkey launched a wind-aided opposite field blast over the right-field wall for a 6-1 lead.
The Hawks scored twice in the bottom of the eighth and twice in the ninth, before graduate student righty
Jack Hegan struck out the final two batters to end the game. Hegan finished with five strikeouts in two innings of work.
Chowan starter Nicky Wohleking (0-2) was tagged with the loss.
Francis Marion 6, Chowan 5 (Mar 10, 2024 at Murfreesboro, N.C.)
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Francis Marion...... 101 000 040 - 6 9 0 (11-8, 4-3 CC)
Chowan................. 000 001 022 - 5 6 1 (6-15, 2-5 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Chas DeBruhl;
Connor Kirkley(8);
Jack Hegan(8) and
Nick LaVigne. Chowan - Nicky Wohleking; D. Nickle(6); J. Bailey(7); A. Diaz(8) and Christian Allen.
Win-
Chas DeBruhl (3-1) Loss-Nicky Wohleking (0-2) T-2:25 A-87
HR FMU -
Peyton Starkey (1).
HR CHOWAN - D. Amancio (3); Bartholomew (2).
Weather: 54*, sunny, chilly
