AIKEN, SC – Senior right-handed hurler
Brennan Murphy threw a one-hitter against USC Aiken as Francis Marion University defeated the Pacers 6-1 on Tuesday (Apr. 9) night.
Murphy (3-2) tossed 121 pitches to record his first complete game as a Patriot. He totaled six strikeouts, recorded 12 fly outs and nine ground outs, and walked three as he faced 32 batters in his third win of the season.
Francis Marion (15-22) plays against third-ranked North Greenville University on Friday (Apr. 12) in the series opener that begins at 3:30 p.m. in Tigerville, S.C.
Sophomore left fielder
Caleb Oakley and junior right fielder
Noah Stout tallied two hits apiece to lead FMU, while junior shortstop
Peyton Wilson drove in two runs. Four other Patriots added to Francis Marion's total of eight hits.
With one out in the first, FMU earned its first baserunner as sophomore third baseman
Peyton Starkey singled through the left side. A walk for Wilson advanced Starkey into scoring position and another base hit from senior center fielder
Zack Summerville plated Starkey for a 1-0 lead.
Another walk, this time for second baseman
Owen Taylor, and an error from the Pacers' catcher allowed Summerville to score and widen the score to 2-0. Stout drove in Taylor with an infield single before USCA recorded the third out with FMU leading 3-0.
In the second inning, junior first baseman
Kollin Crepeau walked, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and throwing error and scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore center fielder
Caleb Oakley for a 4-0 advantage.
USCA cut the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the second when first baseman Dalton Graves homered to right-field, the only run and hit for the Pacers.
The next five innings went scoreless with FMU holding on to the 4-1 lead going to the top of the eighth inning. A single from Crepeau and a walk for junior catcher
Hunter Looper gave the Patriots another scoring opportunity. Oakley laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up to second and third base. Wilson then doubled to score both Crepeau and Looper for a 6-1 lead.
USCA's Caden Purvis (0-2) was charged with the loss after working two innings and allowing four runs.
Francis Marion 6, USC Aiken 1 (4/9/2024 at Aiken, S.C.)
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Francis Marion.... 310 000 020 - 6 8 0 (15-22)
USC Aiken........... 010 000 000 - 1 1 2 (9-30)
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Pitchers: FMU -
Brennan Murphy and
Hunter Looper. USC Aiken - Caden Purvis;
Lucas Highberger(3); Blayne Newman(5); Jaylen Merchant(8); Cole Evilsizor(8); Jacob Bodkin(9) and Capers Molinaroli.
Win-
Brennan Murphy (3-2) Loss-Caden Purvis (0-2) T-2:16 A-198
HR USCA - Dalton Graves.
