YOUNG HARRIS, GA – A two-out, three-run home run from senior designated hitter Noah Stout in the ninth inning secured an 11-7 series clinching victory for Francis Marion University over 15th-ranked Young Harris College on Sunday (Mar. 2) afternoon.

The Patriots improve to 13-6 overall and 4-5 in Conference Carolinas action. The Patriots will host non-conference opponent the University of Bridgeport on Tuesday (Mar. 4) at 6 p.m.

Leading by a slim one-run margin (8-7) in the ninth, and with two outs, Stout drilled the first pitch over the right field wall for an 11-7 lead.  Stout finished with three hits and three runs scored.

Senior right-handed pitcher Josh Adams evens his record at 1-1 after pitching 2.2 innings in relief.

Senior left-fielder Caleb Oakley recorded his eighth multi-hit game alongside extending his streak of safely reaching base to 19 games, while senior second baseman Owen Taylor tallied his third consecutive game with three hits, and was a homer shy of hitting for the cycle. The Patriots had a total of 11 hits in comparison to the Mountain Lions' 10.

Following a scoreless first inning for both teams, junior center fielder Will Dorrell led off the top of the second with a single to center field. Dorrell then advanced to second as Stout lined a base hit.  Taylor followed with a tripled to score both runners and a 2-0 lead.

The Mountain Lions (12-6, 6-3) scored one to trail 2-1 in the bottom of the second.

The Patriots widened the score to 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning as Dorrell homered to right center. Kade Smallwood answered with a home run of his own in the bottom half of the frame to keep Young Harris within 3-2.

Both teams scored one run in the fifth inning as Francis Marion continued to lead 4-3.

With a run already in, two outs, and the bases loaded in the sixth, the Patriots expanded their lead to 7-3 with a hit from Oakley that scored Taylor and Stout. Two more runs for the Mountain Lions in the bottom of the seventh allowed YHC to pull within 7-5 before the side was retired.

Taylor began the top half of the eight with a lead-off double and moved to third on a wild pitch from Drew Howard. A one-out sacrifice fly hit by junior third baseman Jimmy Koza allowed Taylor to tag up and score for another insurance run and an 8-5 advantage.

Two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth got Young Harris to within one run again, at 8-7, setting the stage for Stout's longball.

Zach Hart (2-2) picked up the loss following 4.1 innings of work, allowing six hits and four runs. 

Dorrell and Bunn both had two hits for FMU.