FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University erased a five-run deficit, but a two-out, two-run single in the top of the ninth by Wingate University first baseman Landon Meyer provided the difference as the Bulldogs edged FMU 10-9, Tuesday afternoon (March 11) in non-conference baseball action.
Francis Marion falls to 17-7 and sees its six-game winning streak snapped. The Patriots will play a key Conference Carolinas series this weekend at Belmont Abbey College. The two squads, both of which are among the other schools receiving votes in this week's D2 Baseball Top 25 poll, will play a single game on Friday at 5 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday at noon.
Sophomore first baseman
Charlie Bussey III led the Patriots with three hits, including two doubles, a homer, and five runs batted in. Senior designated hitter
Noah Stout and junior catcher
Dariel Villaran Goundis both registered two hits, and senior right fielder
Austin Bunn went 1-for-2 and walked three times.
A two-out walk to Bussey III in the third led to the opening Patriot run. Bunn then blooped a 3-2 pitch, with Bussey III running, into shallow center field for an RBI-double and a 1-0 FMU lead.
Patriot senior right-hander
Josh Adams, making his first start of 2025, breezed through the opening three innings, allowing only one baserunner. However, Wingate left fielder Sean Sullivan launched a two-run homer into the trees in center field in the top of the fourth to propel the Bulldogs to a 2-1 advantage. Five hits, a walk, and a sacrifice fly later in the frame increased the margin to 6-1 and chased Adams.
Francis Marion would answer in the bottom half of the fourth as senior second baseman
Owen Taylor reached on an infield single and two walks loaded the bases with one out. The team's nation-leading 19th sacrifice fly, this one by senior shortstop
Rayth Petersen, cut the deficit to 6-2.
Stout drilled a home run to straight-away center field to lead off the FMU sixth inning, and later in the frame Bussey III hit a two-out, two-run double off the left-center field wall to trim the margin to 6-5.
In the last of the seventh, Francis Marion had runners on the corners with one out, but Bulldog righty Brian Boone induced an inning-ending double-play grounder.
A solo shot from designated hitter Jordan Dixon and an RBI-bloop single by shortstop Jake Courville restored the Bulldog lead to three runs, 8-5, in the top of the eighth.
A lead-off walk and a fielding error preceded a long three-run homer to left by Bussey III in the bottom of the eighth that knotted the score at 8-8.
The deadlock was short-lived as Meyer delivered his game-deciding hit in the ninth. FMU did get a run back in the bottom of the inning and had a runner in scoring position before the final out was recorded. Villaran Goundis led off the inning with a triple and came home on an RBI-groundout by senior pinch hitter
Rijnaldo Euson. Petersen reached base and went to second on a two-out throwing error, but right-hander Jeff Thomas retired the final out to earn his first save.
FMU junior righty
Clayton Stewart (0-1) was the losing pitcher, while Talan McConnell (1-0) picked up the win.
Bussey III is now ranked among the national leaders in Division II with his 11 doubles.
Wingate University 10, Francis Marion Univ. 9 (Mar 11, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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Wingate University.. 000 600 022 - 10 13 3 (12-10)
Francis Marion Univ. 001 103 031 - 9 11 1 (17-7)
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Pitchers: Wingate University - Riley Treadaway; Cole Smith(4); Marshall Raper(6);
Ellis Yohn(6); Brian Boone(6); Talan McConnell(8); Jett Thomas(9) and Wyatt Hoffman.
Francis Marion Univ. -
Josh Adams;
Braxton Elms IV(4);
Nick Boswell(7);
Clayton Stewart(7) and D. Villaran Goundis.
Win-Talan McConnell(1-0) Save-Jett Thomas(1) Loss-
Clayton Stewart(0-1) T-3:37 A-97
HR WU - Sean Sullivan (7); Jordan Dixon (2).
HR FMU -
Charlie Bussey III (3);
Noah Stout (2).
Weather: 67, Sunny, winds 10 mph NNW
M. Raper faced 1 batter in the 6th.
