FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University redshirt junior outfielder Charlie Bussey III and redshirt senior righty Robbie Jordan were named the Conference Carolinas baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the week of April 13-19.
In a 3-1 week for sixth-ranked Francis Marion, Bussey III batted a staggering .700 (7-for-10) with four homers, nine RBIs, 14 runs scored, 10 walks, and two stolen bases. He also slugged an impressive 1.900 with a .870 on-base percentage. The native of Graniteville, S.C., also eclipsed the FMU all-time home run record with 31 career blasts.
Against 22nd-ranked Wingate University, he reached base five times after going 1-for-1 with a solo homer, three runs scored, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch in 12-2 win over the Bulldogs.
In the series win over Erskine, Bussey III went 6-for-9 with three home runs, 8 RBIs, 11 runs scored, seven walks, two hit-by-pitches, and one stolen base.
Bussey III leads NCAA Division II in multiple categories, including batting average (.506), hits (88), runs scored (93), on-base percentage (.619), and total bases (158). He also ranks fourth in the country with a .908 slugging percentage and 48 walks.
Jordan, a native of Florence, S.C., retired the first 11 batters he faced, including seven strikeouts, en route to recording his nation-leading 10th win in the midweek victory over No. 22 Wingate. He tossed 102 pitches and allowed only six hits in eight innings and did not walk a batter, while matching a career-high with 11 strikeouts. The lone run he surrendered was in the eighth inning with the Patriots already on top 12-0.
He also improved upon his school record for career wins, moving to 31-8 in 57 appearances.
The Patriots, now 37-9, remained No. 6 in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) rankings and No. 8 in the D2 Baseball poll. FMU will host its final home game on Tuesday (April 21) against USC Aiken for a non-conference regional matchup before heading to King University for a three-game conference series on Friday and Saturday.
Bussey III is pursuing a bachelor's degree in sport management and is a product of Aquinas High School. Jordan is majoring in general business and is a product of Florence Christian School.
Charlie Bussey III Robbie Jordan
