FLORENCE, SC – Junior left-handed pitcher Aydin Palmer tossed eight innings allowing only one run on four hits and redshirt junior right fielder Charlie Bussey III hit the go-ahead two-run homer as 15th-ranked Francis Marion University claimed the series win over No. 9 Young Harris College with a 3-1 win in the second game of Saturday's (March 14) Conference Carolinas baseball doubleheader.  The Patriots suffered a 12-6 loss in game one of the twinbill.  FMU won Friday's contest in extra innings.

The Patriots (21-5, 12-3) continue a five-game stretch against nationally-ranked opponents with a non-conference matchup at Wingate University on Tuesday (March 17) at 6 p.m.

In game three of the series (Saturday's second contest), Palmer (5-1) delivered an outstanding pitching performance in the win against the second-best hitting team in NCAA Division II (.378 average) and third-best scoring team (12.9 runs per game).  He fanned eight with one walk, while throwing 96 pitches.  The South Florence High School product retired the side in order six times while forcing a pair of double plays.

Junior right-handed pitcher Jafet Martinez Delgado earned his first save of the season after closing out the final inning (15 pitches) with one hit surrendered and one strikeout.

It was a pitching duel through the opening five innings of the contest as both sides were held scoreless with only seven combined hits (six by the Patriots).

Young Harris halted the scoreless drought in the top of the sixth after the runner scored on a groundout following a leadoff double down the left-field line, 1-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, freshman shortstop Logan Davis produced a two-out double down the left-field line to cap a 3-for-3 performance at the plate before advancing to third on a balk. Junior third baseman Brandon Vargas followed with a clutch RBI single to left-center to tie the game at 1-1. The next batter, Bussey III, launched a go-ahead two-run home run to left-center, his sixth of the year, to grab a 3-1 edge.

Palmer retired the side in order in the eighth before FMU turned to Martinez Delgado out of the bullpen. Despite a leadoff double, he registered three-straight outs to close out the series win for the Patriots.

Sean Kenner of the Mountain Lions (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing all three earned runs in 1.1 innings pitched.

In Saturday's first game, the Patriots jumped in front in the bottom of the first inning on a two-out RBI single to right-center courtesy of junior first baseman Ethan McAnally.

The Mountain Lions responded in the top of the second frame with six runs on seven hits, highlighted by seven-straight batters reaching base, including four singles. In the bottom of the third, Francis Marion cut the deficit to 6-3 following an RBI groundout by senior left fielder Riley Orr and a solo homer by McAnally, his team-leading eighth of the season.

In the fourth, Young Harris reclaimed a four-run lead with an RBI single to center field. The Patriots answered in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI double by sixth-year center fielder Daniel Hussey and an RBI single to left field from redshirt junior catcher Zander Buchan, 7-5.

The Mountain Lions took control of the game by a 12-5 margin in the fifth inning after scoring five runs (all unearned) on four hits, capitalizing on a fielding error in the infield.

FMU tallied their final run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI single to right field by Vargas, 12-6.

McAnally finished 3-for-3 with a solo homer, two runs batted in, and one run scored. Bussey III reached base three times via the walk and scored one run.

Redshirt senior righty Robbie Jordan suffered the loss (7-1) after allowing 12 runs (seven earned) on 15 hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 4.2 innings pitched (109 pitches). Sophomore Tristan Neely tossed two scoreless innings while yielding one hit and two walks.

Sam Nealy (1-2) was the game-two winning pitcher after tossing 1.1 innings of relief.