FLORENCE, SC – The Francis Marion University baseball team, winners of seven straight games, has entered the national rankings at No. 23 in the D2 Baseball Top 25 poll, which was released on Monday afternoon.

Under the direction of second-year head coach Jeff Jefferson, the Patriots own a 9-1 overall record in the early season while sweeping their season-opening Conference Carolinas series on the road at Chowan University.

Francis Marion is set to host Lander University in a non-conference regional game tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 17, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. The Patriots return to conference play this weekend at Sparrow Stadium versus Shorter University for a single game on Friday at 4 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.

Daily admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex is $10 for adults and $5 for students, with FMU students being admitted free with identification.

In the most recent NCAA national stats release, Francis Marion leads the nation in runs scored (169) and ranks second in on-base percentage (.527) and slugging percentage (.711), third in batting average (.403), and fourth in home runs (23).

Individually, redshirt junior first baseman Charlie Bussey III leads all of NCAA Division II with 25 runs scored while sitting second in doubles (8). He also ranks among the top 20 in the nation in total bases (38), stolen bases (8), and runs batted in (20).

A native of Molino, Fla., junior designated hitter Ethan McAnally sits 14th in the country with four home runs and 16th in runs batted in (18).

On the mound, Florence native and redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Robbie Jordan is tied for first in NCAA Division II with three victories this season. He also paces the Conference Carolinas with a 0.60 ERA while logging 18 strikeouts. The South Florence product, junior Aydin Palmer, ranks seventh in the nation and leads the conference with 24 strikeouts.