SALISBURY, NC – The fifth-seeded and ninth-ranked Francis Marion University baseball program was unable to overcome an early deficit in a 12-7 loss at second-seed and third-ranked Catawba College in Game 1 of the NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional on Friday afternoon (May 21) at Newman Park.
The Patriots (45-13) will need two wins the final two games of the best-of-three series to advance to the NCAA DII College World Series in Cary, N.C. Francis Marion and Catawba (46-11) will compete tomorrow, Friday (May 22) in Game 2 as the game time has been changed to a noon first pitch due to forecasted rain in the afternoon/evening.
Junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally delivered a strong offensive performance at the plate after going 3-for-5 with a homer, four runs batted in, and one run scored. He eclipsed 100 RBIs in a single season with a three-run homer in the seventh, becoming the first-ever Patriots to achieve the feat. McAnally currently sits just six RBIs back of the Division II single-season record of 107 set by Dagen Brewer at Pittsburg State this year.
Redshirt junior right fielder
Charlie Bussey III reached base four times in the contest after finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one hit-by-pitch. Senior left fielder
Will Dorrell went 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs batted in, and one run scored.
Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher
Cole Gursky (1-1) suffered the loss after yielding five earned runs on six hits in 1.0 inning pitched.
Freshman righty
Charlie Bonds produced a strong outing in relief after retiring 12-straight batters after entering the game. He allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Redshirt senior right-hander
Tyler Reynolds also tossed 1.0 inning of scoreless relief.
The Catawba Indians established an early 4-0 lead in the first inning, highlighted by three-straight doubles with two outs. In the bottom of the second, Catawba stretched the lead to 7-0 after scoring four runs on four hits.
Following three scoreless frames by both sides, Francis Marion got on the board in the top of the sixth as Dorrell laced an RBI single through the right side to score Bussey III, 7-1.
In the bottom half of the sixth, the Catawba Indians piled on three more runs, including a two-run homer to right field to extend their advantage to 10-1.
The Patriots rallied in the top of the seventh as McAnally launched a three-run homer to left field, his team-leading 23rd blast of the year, to trim the deficit to 10-4. The next at-bat, Dorrell crushed a solo homer to right field, his eighth homer of the season, 10-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Catawba drove in two insurance runs off of three hits to build a 12-5 lead.
FMU registered three-straight hits to begin the top of the ninth, including an RBI single up the middle by McAnally, 12-6. After a pitching change, the Patriots recorded another RBI on a fielder's choice from senior first baseman
Riley Orr. The Catawba Indians ultimately escaped the inning to secure the 12-7 victory.
Colt Wilkins of Catawba (11-1) earned the win after allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in 6.2 innings.
