GASTONIA, NC – Redshirt junior right fielder
Charlie Bussey III made history on Friday evening (May 1) after breaking the NCAA Division II record with 104 runs scored in a single season. However, seventh-ranked and second-seeded Francis Marion University was unable to stave off a mid-inning comeback by third-seeded Belmont Abbey College, falling 10-9 in the Conference Carolinas Tournament at CaroMont Health Park.
The Patriots (41-11) enter the elimination bracket following the defeat and will face UNC Pembroke on Saturday (May 2) at Sims Legion Park, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
Bussey III accomplished the Division II record in just 52 games after becoming the fastest to surpass 100 runs scored in history. He breaks the previous record of 103 runs scored held by Eric Errante (2004) and Eric Stuckenschneider (1994), who both played at the University of Central Missouri.
In the bottom of the first, Bussey III led off with a single to left-center. With two outs, senior second baseman
Will Dorrell belted a two-run homer that just cleared the wall in right-center to put FMU ahead by a 2-0 margin.
The Crusaders (38-12) cut into the deficit in the top of the second after starting with a triple to center field before scoring on a throwing error in the infield, 2-1. Francis Marion answered in the bottom half of the second as freshman third baseman
Myles Proffitt scored a wild pitch after leading off the frame with a single to right field, 3-1.
Junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally extended the lead to 4-1 in the third inning after launching a 429-foot solo homer to left field. With the homer, he reclaimed the FMU single-season home run record with 19 blasts.
In the fourth, Proffitt delivered a leadoff double to left field before redshirt junior catcher
Zander Buchan produced an RBI single up the middle, 5-1.
Belmont Abbey started chipping into the lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs (one unearned) to trail by a 5-3 margin. In the top of the sixth, the Crusaders grabbed their first lead of the game at 6-5 after tallying three runs on a pair of extra-base hits.
A sacrifice fly in the seventh and an RBI groundout in the eighth added a pair of runs to Belmont Abbey's lead, 8-5.
The Patriots closed the gap in the bottom half of the eighth to 8-7 as McAnally blasted his second homer of the game, and 20th of the season, a two-run shot to left field. It was on this drive that Bussey III scored his record-setting 104th run.
The Crusaders managed to regain their three-run lead in the ninth on an RBI double and a throwing error in the infield to extend the inning with two outs, 10-7.
In the bottom of the ninth, Proffitt laced a two-run home run to right field, his third of the year, to trim the deficit to 10-9. The Patriots got the game-tying run on base following a walk with two outs, but a fielder's choice halted the comeback opportunity.
At the plate, Proffitt finished 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs batted in, three runs scored, and one walk. McAnally tallied two home runs, three runs batted in, and two runs scored, while Buchan also recorded a two-hit performance.
Redshirt senior
Robbie Jordan (10-2) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (five unearned) on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 5.1 innings (108 pitches).
Spencer Cipro of Belmont Abbey (10-0) earned the win.
