FLORENCE, SC – Senior right-handed pitcher
Danny Leo tossed seven scoreless innings and senior shortstop
Rayth Petersen went 4-for-4 at the plate as 21st-ranked Francis Marion University cruised past Emmanuel University (Ga.) 12-3, Friday evening (Apr. 4) in Conference Carolinas baseball action.
Francis Marion runs its winning streak to nine games while improving to 28-9 overall and 16-6 in conference play while taking over first place. The two squads will conclude their weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field.
Behind Petersen, senior second baseman
Owen Taylor, senior outfielder
Caleb Oakley, junior third baseman
Jimmy Koza, and junior catcher
Dariel Villaran Goundis all rapped out two hits apiece as FMU totaled 15 hits.
FMU exploded for four runs in the second inning to open the scoring. Junior outfielder
Will Dorrell extended his streak of safely reaching base to 27 games with a one-out double to right-center. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-double off the left field wall by Villaran Goundis.
Koza poked a single to right sending Villaran Goundis to third. Taylor laced a run-scoring to left to up the margin to 2-0, and both runners moved up when the ball was bobbled. Sophomore first baseman
Charlie Bussey III plated a third run with a sacrifice fly – extending the Patriots' nation-leading total to 31 – before an infield single to third by Petersen drove home the fourth run.
The Lions (17-20, 10-12) answered with three runs in the top of the third to trim the margin to 4-3 and necessitate the entry of Leo from the Patriot bullpen.
The Patriots scored a trio of runs in the fourth to go up 7-3. Taylor singled home the first run and Oakley lined a two-out, two-run single to left. That inning also chased Emmanuel starter Noah Cantleberry (2-2) from the game.
Leo (3-0) allowed only three hits, fanned 10, and retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced.
Senior designated hitter
Noah Stout blasted a three-run homer to right with two outs in the sixth to increase the advantage to 10-3. It was his seventh long ball of the campaign, second-best on the team.
Petersen added to the onslaught with a two-out, two-run single in the seventh.
#21 Francis Marion Univ. 12, Emmanuel (GA) Univ. 3 (Apr 04, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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Emmanuel (GA) Univ.. 003 000 000 - 3 6 3 (17-20, 10-12 CC)
Francis Marion Univ. 040 303 20X - 12 15 2 (28-9, 16-6 CC)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel (GA) Univ. - Noah Cantleberry; Zach Evans(4); Barrett Barkley(7) and
Nick Madrigal. Francis Marion Univ. -
Braxton Elms IV;
Danny Leo(3) and D. Villaran Goundis.
Win-
Danny Leo(3-0) Loss-Noah Cantleberry(2-2) T-3:10 A-205
HR FMU -
Noah Stout (7).
Weather: Sunny, 88, winds 11 mph SW
Elms IV faced 3 batters in the 3rd.
