BELMONT, NC – Senior second baseman Owen Taylor totaled three hits, homered twice, and drove in five runs to pace Francis Marion University in a doubleheader split with Belmont Abbey College on Saturday (Mar. 15) afternoon in Conference Carolinas league action.  FMU won the opener 5-1 and lost the second game 6-5 in heart-breaking walk-off fashion.

Francis Marion moves to an overall record of 19-8 and 9-6 in conference. The Patriots will host Lander University for a non-conference match-up on Tuesday (Mar. 18) at 6 p.m.

FMU junior right-handed pitcher Robbie Jordan (4-1) snared another win after completing the opener, a seven-inning game, with eight hits, one run, and four strikeouts.  The Florence native allowed a lead-off home run to the first batter he faced and then blanked the Crusaders the rest of the way.  The Patriot defense turned three double plays behind him.

Jordan, who missed last season with an injury, registered his first complete game since his freshman season of 2022.

Junior designated hitter Noah Stout totaled three of the Patriots eight hits in game one, while Taylor, a native of Darlington, drove in 2-of-4 runs for Francis Marion. Five other Patriots also tallied one hit during game one.

The Patriots assumed a 1-0 lead early in the top of the first inning as sophomore first baseman Charlie Bussey IIII hit a one-out home run to left center, but Belmont Abbey (16-10, 9-6) knotted the score at 1-1 when Joe Whitaker answered with a home run of his own in the bottom of the first.  

Taylor was robbed of a two-run homer in the second when the Crusaders center fielder reached over the wall to make a catch.  FMU did take the lead in the top half of the third frame as junior center fielder Will Dorrell made his way around the bases with a lead-off home run that put Francis Marion in front 2-1.

The Patriots carried their momentum into the fourth as Taylor hit yet another home run to left for a 4-1 lead.

Junior third baseman Jimmy Koza made his way to first in the top of the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch and advanced 90 feet by stealing second base. Koza was able to move up to third base as Dorrell grounded out to second.  Following an intentional walk to Bussey III, Koza reached home safely during a double steal to give Francis Marion a 5-1 advantage.

Spencer Cipro (5-2) was dealt his second loss of the season.  The right-hander also completing seven innings, while allowing eight hits, five runs, with four strikeouts.

Bussey III and Taylor paced the Patriots with two hits apiece during game two, while Stout, senior catcher Caleb Oakley, and Dorrell recorded one hit respectively. Alongside Taylor's three runs driven in, Dorrell and Bussey III chipped in one RBI each.

After two scoreless innings in game two, Dorrell scored the first run.  Running on a two-out, 3-2 pitch, the centerfielder scored all the way from first on a single by Bussey III.  In the bottom of the third, a two-out single by Taylor scored Oakley from third to up the margin to 2-0.    

In response, Belmont Abbey deadlocked the score at 2-2 in the fourth as Caleb Burr homered over the wall in left field.

A one-out walk in the top of the sixth allowed senior right-fielder Austin Bunn to reach first base and he shortly moved up to second on a wild pitch, before Stout singled to put runners on first and third.  FMU briefly retook the lead as Taylor hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-2 advantage, before Belmont Abbey's Jackson Risk hit a two-run homer that gave the Crusaders a one-run lead at 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth.

Francis Marion came back from the one-run deficit to knot the game at 4-4 as Taylor homered again in the top of the ninth. With two outs on the board, Dorrell tallied his second home run of the series to put the Patriots ahead 5-4.

In the bottom of the ninth, Belmont Abbey was able to claim the walk-off victory.  A lead-off walk and a wild pitch preceded a RBI-single, and with one out and the bases loaded a deep fly ball to left scored the winning run. 

Senior southpaw Rijnaldo Euson (6-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season.  He pitched 8.1 innings and fanning eight batters.  Two of the runs he allowed were unearned.

Thomas Paxton (1-1) evens his record with the win, throwing three innings while allowing three hits and striking out two batters.