FLORENCE, SC – Senior left fielder Will Dorrell provided game-winning hits in both games of the doubleheader on Saturday (April 11), as No. 7 Francis Marion University secured the Conference Carolinas baseball series sweep over Ferrum College on Senior Day at Sparrow Stadium, winning 4-3 and 3-2.

Francis Marion earns its sixth-straight league series win to improve to 34-8 overall with a 22-5 mark in league play. The Patriots return to action on Tuesday night (April 14) when they host nationally-ranked Wingate for a non-conference regional matchup at 6 p.m.

In Game 2 of the series, junior southpaw Aydin Palmer earned the win (8-2) after yielding three earned runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts and two walks over 6.0 innings (96 pitches). Fellow junior Jafet Martinez Delgado secured his third save of the season after delivering a scoreless final inning.

Junior designated hitter Ethan McAnally finished 2-for-3 with a homer, one RBI, and two runs scored. Senior first baseman Riley Orr went 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored.

In the top of the first, the Panthers registered a leadoff single before advancing to scoring position with a stolen base. With one out, Ferrum grabbed the early lead with an RBI single up the middle, 1-0.

The Patriots answered in the bottom of the first as McAnally laced a double to left-center with two outs. The next at-bat, Orr launched a two-run homer to left field, his ninth of the season, to take a 2-1 edge.

After a scoreless second frame, Francis Marion added to its lead in the third inning courtesy of a solo homer down the left-field line by McAnally, his team-leading 15th of the season. He tied the FMU single-season record in home runs to stand alongside Tim Dockery, who hit 15 homers in 1998.

Ferrum responded in the top of the fourth to tie the contest at 3-3 following a pair of RBI singles.

In the bottom of the sixth, Orr reached base on a hit-by-pitch before advancing to third on a balk and a groundout. With one out, Dorrell hit an RBI single up the middle to capture a 4-3 advantage.

The Panthers nearly rallied in the top of the seventh after the initial two batters of the inning reached base. A massive strikeout looking and a caught stealing quickly resulted in two outs. The Patriots forced a pop-up to second base for the final out to seal the win.

Garrett Sawyer of Ferrum (1-4) suffered the loss in Game 2.

In the series finale, junior Eze Rojas produced his best performance of the season after tossing a 9.0-inning complete-game (111 pitches) to improve to 5-2 on the mound. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

It was a pitching duel for a majority of the contest as the game was scoreless through the opening three innings, while only four combined hits were surrendered.

Ferrum took the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI single in the infield after heads-up base-running allowed the runner to score from second, 1-0.

The Patriots immediately responded in the bottom half of the fourth as redshirt junior right fielder Charlie Bussey III belted a solo homer to center field, his 13th of the year, to tie the game at 1-1. With the blast, he moved into a tie for second all-time with 27 career home runs to join Preston Shuey (2008-11).

The contest remained tied until the top of the eighth when a pinch-hit RBI single helped the Panthers regain the lead at 2-1.

Francis Marion rallied in the bottom of the ninth as Bussey III laced a one-out single to center field before McAnally scorched a double down the left-field line to put both runners in scoring position. The Panthers issued an intentional walk to Orr to load the bases. Dorrell stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winning two-run single into left-center to complete the walk-off win, 3-2.

Campbell Short of the Panthers (1-3) was saddled with the loss despite tossing an effective 8.1 innings in the start.

Prior to start of the doubleheader, Francis recognized 18 seniors: Orr, Dorrell, outfielder Daniel Hussey, infielder Jimmy Koza, infielder Jake Hardee, utility/pitcher Tyler Reynolds, catcher Hunter Looper, pitcher Robbie Jordan, pitcher Roman Edwards, pitcher Clayton Stewart, catcher Dariel Villaran Goundis, pitcher Tripp Triplett, pitcher Jackson Campbell, pitcher Tyler Gall, outfielder Davis Campbell, infielder Kaden Olney, utility player Henry Swicord, and infielder Manning Thompson.