GASTONIA, NC – Freshman southpaw
Garrett Long produced a stellar 7.1-inning quality start on Saturday afternoon (May 2), as No. 7 Francis Marion University posted a 7-3 victory over rival UNC Pembroke at Sims Legion Park, advancing in the elimination bracket at the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
With the win, the Patriots (42-11) will return to play tonight, Saturday, May 2, against No. 2-ranked North Greenville University in an elimination game, starting at 7 p.m. in CaroMont Health Park.
After missing most of the season with an injury, Long made just his fifth start of the year and improved to 3-0 on the mound with a solid outing. He allowed just three earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts and four walks in 7.1 innings (123 pitches). Redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher
Owen Powell pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief with one strikeout to clinch the tournament win.
At the plate, redshirt junior right fielder
Charlie Bussey III reached base four times after going 2-for-3 with a homer, two runs batted in, two runs scored, one walk, and one hit-by-pitch. Senior first baseman
Riley Orr went 2-for-4 with one RBI, while sixth-year center fielder
Daniel Hussey made it to base three times after finishing 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
After two scoreless innings to start the game, the Patriots got on the board with four runs on two hits in the top of the third. Redshirt junior catcher
Zander Buchan drew a leadoff walk before scoring following a failed pickoff and a wild pitch. Bussey III extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer down the left-field line, his 19th of the season. Later in the third, senior second baseman
Will Dorrell delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to stretch the advantage to 4-0.
Francis Marion added to its lead in the top of the fifth after tallying three runs on three hits. The Patriots loaded the bases with no outs to begin the frame before scoring on a wild pitch to lead by a 5-0 margin. Back-to-back RBI singles from junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally and Orr pushed the lead to 7-0.
UNC Pembroke (33-18) registered three runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-3, highlighted by a two-run home run to left-center.
The Braves managed just a pair of hits in the final two innings as FMU secured the win in advance in the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
CW Bayer (2-1) of UNC Pembroke was saddled with the loss.
