FLORENCE, SC – Ninth-ranked Young Harris College took game three of Conference Carolinas league action in a 11-6 victory over Francis Marion University on Monday (Mar. 25) afternoon.
 
Francis Marion (13-16, 6-9) will return to the field on Friday (Mar. 29) for another conference series against Emmanuel University (Ga.), beginning at 6 p.m. in Franklin Springs, Ga.
 
Junior second baseman Owen Taylor led the Patriots with two hits, while also driving in two runs. Junior shortstop Peyton Wilson and junior first baseman Kollin Crepeau both registered two hits apiece.
 
The Mountain Lion (25-5, 12-3) jumped ahead early with a three-run outburst in the first inning, the frame beginning with a double down the right field line from shortstop Drew Bray.   Three different Mountain Lions had run-scoring singles.
 
With another run in the top of the second inning by Young Harris, the Patriots sat in a 4-0 deficit, but were able to cut the lead to 4-1 as junior designated hitter Noah Stout was plated by Taylor with an RBI-groundout.
 
Young Harris recorded three more runs over the third, fourth, and fifth innings, to widen the margin to 7-1.
 
Francis Marion answered with a single run scored in the bottom of the fifth inning – as Taylor doubled and later scored on a wild pitch – to trail 7-2.
 
Young Harris tallied three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to open an 11-2 advantage.
 
Wilson rapped a run-scoring single through the left side in the seventh to plate the Patriots' third run.  In the eighth, singles from Crepeau and junior right fielder Tanner Cannon put two on with no outs. As Taylor singled down the left-field line, Crepeau scored to draw FMU within 11-4.   Senior third baseman Blake Falor walked to load the bases. Two batters later, sophomore center fielder Caleb Oakley laced a two-out, two-run single to center to account for the game's final runs.
 
Graduate student right-hander Jack Hegan (0-1) was charged with his first loss, as Young Harris' Zach Hart (6-1) recorded his sixth win.

 
 
#9 Young Harris College 11, Francis Marion Univ. 6 (Mar 25, 2024 at Florence, SC)
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Young Harris College 311 113 100  - 11 20  0      (25-5, 12-3 CC)
Francis Marion Univ. 010 010 130  -  6 10  0      (13-16, 6-9 CC)
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Pitchers: Young Harris College - Zach Hart; Ryan Heishman(7); C. Williams(8) and Jack Enrico.
Francis Marion Univ. - Jack Hegan; Tyson Hall(1); Brennan Murphy(4); Dylan Wiegel(6);
Tyler Gall(7); Danny Leo(8) and Hunter Looper; Nick LaVigne.
Win-Zach Hart(6-1)  Loss-Jack Hegan(0-1)  T-3:02  A-101
HR YHCBSB24 - Jeremy Begora 2; Jarret Ford.
Weather: Fair, 52, NNE 8 MPH
Murphy faced 4 batters in the 6th.
R Heishman faced 1 batter in the 8th.