CENTRAL, SC – Francis Marion University dropped both games to Southern Wesleyan University by scores of 7-6 (game one) and 13-5 (game two) on Saturday (Apr. 20) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
Francis Marion will return to the field against the University of Mount Olive in the final regular-season series beginning Friday (Apr. 26) evening at 6 p.m. in Sparrow Stadium.
Junior shortstop
Peyton Wilson paced the Patriots with three hits, one home run, and three RBIs in game one. Patriot junior right fielder
Tanner Cannon tallied two hits as the Warriors outhit FMU 13-10.
Francis Marion took an early 1-0 lead as senior centerfielder
Zack Summerville hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded. Southern Wesleyan answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Warriors posted an additional three runs in the bottom of the second inning for a 5-1 lead.
FMU closed the gap in the top of the third with sophomore third baseman
Peyton Starkey scoring on an error from Southern Wesleyan's third baseman to trim the lead to 5-2. Two Patriots were left on base as the last two outs of the inning were recorded.
With a scoreless inning from SWU, Francis Marion knotted the game at 5-5 as Wilson homered to left field, driving in both Starkey and Cannon.
Southern Wesleyan took the lead once again in the sixth inning, scoring one run for a 7-6 lead. To tie the game at 7-7, junior designated hitter
Noah Stout hit yet another home run over the fence in left field.
Southern Wesleyan took the lead for the final time in extra innings as the Warriors overtook the Patriots 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth.
FMU senior right-handed pitcher
Jack Hegan takes a record of 0-2 after the loss to Southern Wesleyan, while Warrior Nick Vollmert moves to a 1-7 record.
In game two, Stout, sophomore left fielder
Caleb Oakley, and senior third baseman
Blake Falor combined for eight of 12 hits. Stout also drove in one of the five runs.
In the first, Wilson reached on a fielder's choice. As Stout singles through the right side, Wilson advanced to scoring position at third base. Back-to-back walks for the Patriots plated the first run of the contest with junior second baseman
Owen Taylor picking up the RBI.
Southern Wesleyan quickly took the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the first inning. FMU answered with another run in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice by Wilson to tie the game a 2-2.
The Warriors took the lead once again in the bottom of the third inning. The Patriots tallied three more runs in the top of the fourth inning. A triple from Summerville scored Wilson after a single up the middle to tie the game at 3-3. As Stout then hit a base hit, Summerville was plated for a 4-3 advantage. Francis Marion was able to seal a 5-3 lead before the frame was retired as Hegan delivered a pinch-hit run-scoring single.
Southern Wesleyan tallied nine more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, widening the margin to 13-5.
Bryce Metts of Southern Wesleyan claimed the win and evened his record at 1-1 as junior right-handed hurler
Tyson Hall (3-3) took the loss for FMU.
Southern Wesleyan 7, Francis Marion 6 (Apr 20, 2024 at Central, SC) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion.......... 101 300 10 - 6 10 0 (16-27, 7-19 CC)
Southern Wesleyan... 230 001 01 - 7 13 2 (8-38, 6-20 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Brennan Murphy;
Connor Kirkley(4);
Jack Hegan(7) and
Nick LaVigne.
Southern Wesleyan - Hund, C; Vollmert, N(7) and Highsmith, T; Pickhardt, G; Francis, D.
Win-Vollmert, N (1-7) Loss-
Jack Hegan (0-2) T-3:00 A-201
HR FMU -
Peyton Wilson;
Noah Stout.
HR SWU - Mitchem, C.
Southern Wesleyan 13, Francis Marion 5 (Apr 20, 2024 at Central, SC) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion.......... 110 300 000 - 5 12 1 (16-28, 7-20 CC)
Southern Wesleyan... 201 102 70X - 13 16 1 (9-38, 7-20 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Danny Leo;
Tyson Hall(5);
Peyton Starkey(6);
Tyler Burgess(7);
Malik Frails(7) and
Brody Sanders. Southern Wesleyan - Vollmert, N; Dixon, K(2); Swink, G(4);
Metts, B(6); Turner, J(7); Faulk, A(8); Northrup, T(9) and Francis, D; Pickhardt, G;
Highsmith, T.
Win-Metts, B (2-1) Loss-
Tyson Hall (3-3) T-3:30 A-129
HR SWU - Haddock, B; Mitchem, C.
