MOUNT OLIVE, NC – Sophomore first baseman
Charlie Bussey III and senior left fielder
Caleb Oakley tallied two hits and one run scored apiece for Francis Marion University, but the Patriots suffered a 3-2 loss to 11th-ranked University of Mount Olive on Saturday (Feb. 15) afternoon in the rubber game of their Conference Carolinas baseball series.
Francis Marion (9-2, 1-2) will travel to Orangeburg, S.C., to compete in a non-conference match-up against Claflin University on Tuesday (Feb. 18) at 3 p.m.
Senior designated hitter
Noah Stout, senior second baseman
Owen Taylor, and junior third baseman
Jimmy Koza also recorded one hit respectively for the Patriots.
After a scoreless first inning, Bussey III led off and was awarded first base after being hit by a pitch. Oakley then reached on a fielder's choice as Bussey III was thrown out at second. Two back-to-back singles from Taylor and Stout loaded the bases before junior catcher
Hunter Looper stepped into the batter's box.
Looper hit a sacrifice fly that scored Oakley and allowed the Patriots to take a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.
Mount Olive (7-3, 2-1) scored three unanswered runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to lead 3-1.
In the sixth with one out, Bussey III drove a ball into left field for a base hit. A single from Oakley put runners on the corners before Bussey III was able to score on a wild pitch, leaving the Patriots to trail 3-2.
FMU put the tying run in scoring position in each of the seventh and eighth innings, but could not push it across.
Jon Howard and Mike Kenney paced the Trojans with one hit, one run, and one RBI each.
Senior right-hander
Daniel Barcena (0-1) started for FMU and was tagged with the loss. He struck out two batters over four innings. Freshman left-handed pitcher
Jackson Madden tossed 3.1 innings and allowing three hits and one run.
UMO's Lucas Glover (1-0) was awarded his first win, throwing five innings and fanning three batters. Hayden Myrick earned the save with a scoreless ninth.
