NEWBERRY, SC – Junior right-handed pitcher Mason Huffstickler tossed six shutout innings in relief with six strikeouts, as No. 11-ranked Francis Marion University registered its first shutout of the season following a 14-0 win over Newberry College on Tuesday night (Mar. 31) in non-conference play.

The Patriots improve to 28-7 overall and sweep the season series against the Wolves with a pair of road wins. It marked the first shutout for the Patriots since April 19, 2025, in an 11-0 win over Chowan University.

FMU returns to Sparrow Stadium for a three-game series against rival UNC Pembroke in Conference Carolinas play on Friday, with first pitch for Game 1 set for 6 p.m. The twinbill will be played on Saturday with a start time of 2 p.m.

Huffstickler improved to 2-1 on the mound following a stellar six shutout innings (79 pitches) out of the bullpen. He yielded just three hits and fanned six while facing 22 batters. Huffstickler retired the side in order three times and had a stretch where he recorded eight-straight outs without allowing a hit.

Redshirt senior righty Robbie Jordan took a no-decision after tossing 1.0 scoreless frame in the start after allowing two hits with one strikeout. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Zeph Arnold closed out the final two innings in relief and surrendered zero hits with one strikeout.

At the plate, the Patriots recorded five multi-hit performances, led by sixth-year center fielder Daniel Hussey, who went 3-for-6 with one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base. Senior first baseman Riley Orr finished 2-for-4 with a double, three runs batted in, one run scored, and two walks. Redshirt junior Charlie Bussey III tallied two hits, two RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk in the Tuesday night win.

The midweek contest featured a pitching duel through the initial four innings of the game after zero runs were scored and only four combined hits were recorded.

In the top of the fifth, junior third baseman Brandon Vargas and senior second baseman Jimmy Koza reached base to start the inning before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. Freshman shortstop Logan Davis followed up with an RBI on a ground out, as FMU took a 1-0 edge. The next at-bat, senior left fielder Will Dorrell produced an RBI single to center field before another run scored on an error later in the frame. Orr capped the five-run inning for the Patriots with a two-run double to left-center, 5-0.

Francis Marion increased the lead to 8-0 in the top of the seventh inning, after scoring three runs on three hits, highlighted by a pair of RBI singles by Hussey and Vargas.

In the top of the eighth, FMU drove in three more runs as Dorrell scored on a wild pitch after doubling to right-center and stealing third. Junior designated hitter Ethan McAnally followed with an RBI double to right-center before Orr contributed an RBI on a ground out, 11-0.

The Patriots tallied three insurance runs in the ninth as sophomore Adrian Nina collected an RBI on a pinch-hit ground out with the bases loaded. With two outs, Bussey III peppered a two-run single up the middle, as FMU cruised to a 14-0 win.

Anthony Plotkin (0-2) of Newberry was saddled with the loss.