FLORENCE, SC – Junior outfielder
Matthew Manuel tallied five hits and drove in three runs on Friday (Jan. 30), as Francis Marion University secured a doubleheader sweep, 13-5, and 4-1, over Concord University in non-conference baseball action.
The Patriots (2-0) will host a three-game series with West Liberty next weekend on Feb. 6-8 as FMU celebrates Homecoming. Francis Marion was scheduled to play the final game of the series with Concord tomorrow, but that game was canceled due to the incoming winter weather.
In the season-opener, Manuel and junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally combined for six hits, two runs batted in, and five runs scored, as the Patriot offense led the way with 12 hits and added six stolen bases.
The Mountain Lions established a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a throwing error on a potential double play allowed a runner to score from second base. Francis Marion immediately responded in the bottom half of the frame after scoring three runs on four hits, all with two outs. Following back-to-back singles, Manuel registered an RBI single to center field and senior infielder
Will Dorrell drilled an RBI double to left field, 3-1.
After a scoreless second inning, the Patriots scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. Dorrell launched an RBI double down the right-field line before a wild pitch, a failed pick-off, and an RBI ground out climbed the lead to 7-1.
Concord tallied a run via an RBI single in the top of the sixth before delivering a sacrifice fly in the seventh to trim the deficit to 7-3. Manuel answered with an RBI double to right field in the bottom of the seventh, extending the lead to 8-3. The Mountain Lions scored a run in the top of the eighth to trail 8-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Patriots scored five insurance runs, including scoring on three wild pitches to stretch the advantage to 13-4. Despite the visitors scoring one more run, FMU sealed the opening-day win by a 13-5 margin.
Freshman left-handed pitcher
Garrett Long took the no-decision in his debut after surrendering one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 4.0 innings pitched. Junior right-hander
Eze Rojas (1-0) secured the win after allowing one unearned run on one hit over 2.0 innings. Junior lefty
Aydin Palmer collected his first save of the season after closing out the final 3.0 innings in Game 1.
Concord junior Jake Robinson (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits in 3.0 innings pitched.
Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher
Robbie Jordan (1-0) earned the win in Game 2 after tossing 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and three walks, with only one run allowed. Senior right-handed pitcher
Clayton Stewart made a short scoreless appearance before sophomore left-hander
Jackson Madden secured his first save of 2026 after pitching 1.2 scoreless frames with one strikeout.
Senior outfielder
Riley Orr finished 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, while Manuel went 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI.
In the bottom of the first, Orr belted an RBI triple to right-center to score the opening run of Game 2 before Manuel drove in another run with a double to center field, 2-0.
Concord cut into the deficit in the top of the third to trail 2-1, but the Patriots countered with two runs on three hits. Orr delivered once more with an RBI single to left field before Dorrell laced an RBI single up the middle to lead by a 4-1 margin.
The FMU pitching staff allowed just one more hit over the final four frames while retiring the side twice to seal the doubleheader sweep.
Mountain Lion redshirt sophomore pitcher Kaden Varela-Payne (0-1) suffered the loss after yielding four runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
