BRISTOL, TN – Redshirt junior right fielder Charlie Bussey III continues to rewrite the FMU record books after claiming the single-season mark in hits and home runs, as sixth-ranked Francis Marion University secured a sweep over King University on Friday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action. The Patriots won Game 1 by a 4-2 margin before posting a 15-8 victory in Game 2.

With the sweep, Francis Marion improves to 39-10 overall with a 26-6 mark in league play following an eighth-straight conference series win. The Patriots will look for the series sweep and back-to-back 40-win seasons on Saturday with Game 3 against the Tornado (13-35, 10-22) scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

Bussey III, with a solo homer in Game 2, captured the all-time single-season hits record at Francis Marion with 93, surpassing the previous mark held by Buddy Sosnoskie, who registered 92 hits in 2012. He also broke a tie with his teammate, junior designated hitter Ethan McAnally, with 18 home runs in a single season, which is a new school record.

In Game 1, sophomore lefty Jackson Madden and redshirt freshman right-hander Owen Powell delivered a combined gem on the mound. Madden earned the win (2-0) after yielding two earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and four walks in 5.1 innings pitched (87 pitches) in the start. Powell entered in relief and allowed one hit with two strikeouts in 3.2 scoreless innings (48 pitches).

The Tornado established the early lead in the bottom of the first after scoring a sacrifice bunt and an RBI double down the left-field line.

Despite the initial runs scored, the game turned into a pitching duel, with the next four frames going scoreless with only six combined hits.

In the top of the sixth, FMU found its breakthrough after loading the bases with back-to-back singles and reaching on a fielder's choice. Senior second baseman Jimmy Koza followed by producing a two-run fielder's choice to tie the game at 2-2. Bussey III put the Patriots in front 3-2 later in the inning with an RBI single to left field.

The King offense went silent in the final four frames with only one hit recorded. Francis Marion added an insurance run in the ninth after McAnally recorded an RBI sacrifice fly following a one-out triple down the right-field line by senior first baseman Riley Orr, 4-2.

Senior left fielder Will Dorrell finished 3-for-5 at the plate with one run scored and a stolen base, while Orr, McAnally, and sophomore center fielder Adrian Nina posted multi-hit performances.

King's Ben Hale (2-6) was saddled with the Game 1 loss. 

In Game 2, the Tornado once again took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first after tallying three extra-base hits in the inning.

The Patriots countered with four runs on three hits in the top of the second, highlighted by a two-run single to right field by Orr and an RBI single to left field from McAnally, 4-2.

With FMU leading 5-3 entering the top of the fourth, the Patriots extended their lead to 9-3 following three-straight RBI hits in the inning, including a triple through the right side by Dorrell.

King trimmed the deficit to 9-4 in the bottom half of the fourth after scoring on a wild pitch, but Francis Marion answered in the fifth with an RBI double to left field from Orr, 10-4.

The Tornado rallied in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on four hits to close the gap to 10-8.

In the top of the seventh, FMU stretched its advantage to 15-8 with five runs on three hits. Bussey III hit a two-out solo homer to left field, his record-setting 18th homer of the year. Junior second baseman Brandon Vargas also delivered a clutch three-run triple to center field.

Orr finished a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs batted in and one run scored. McAnally went 3-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored, while Vargas totaled three hits, four runs batted in, and four runs scored. Bussey III scored four times in Game 2 after going 2-for-4 at the plate, while sixth-year center fielder Daniel Hussey also registered a two-hit game with two runs scored.

Junior southpaw Aydin Palmer, a product of South Florence High School, claimed the win (9-2) after allowing four earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout and two walks in 4.0 innings (72 pitches). Junior right-handed reliever Jafet Martinez Delgado earned his team-leading fourth save of the season after pitching 2.2 scoreless frames with three strikeouts.

Rohde Kirkland of King (3-8) suffered the loss.