SALISBURY, NC – Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher
Robbie Jordan produced a gritty win in a 6.2-inning performance, as fifth-seeded and ninth-ranked Francis Marion University captured an 8-5 victory over second-seed and third-ranked Catawba College in Game 2 of the NCAA Southeast Super Regional on Friday afternoon (May 22) at Newman Park.
With the win, the Patriots (46-13) force a winner-takes-all Game 3 on Saturday, May 23, with first pitch moved up to noon as inclement weather is expected throughout the day. Francis Marion and Catawba (46-12) sit one win away from clinching the regional crown and a spot in the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, N.C.
Jordan, a product of Florence Christian School, battled to victory after yielding five runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and eight walks in 6.2 innings pitched.
Junior righty
Jafet Martinez Delgado secured his eighth save of the season after surrendering four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 2.1 scoreless innings.
At the plate, junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally reached base five times following a 2-for-2 performance with three walks. He also contributed a three-run homer and one run scored. McAnally climbed his RBI total to 104, which is just three shy of the NCAA Division II record set by Dagen Brewer at Pittsburg State this year.
Redshirt junior right fielder
Charlie Bussey III finished 2-for-4 with a home run, one RBI, three runs scored, and a walk. Freshman third baseman
Myles Proffitt went 1-for-1 with an RBI, one run scored, and two walks.
The Catawba Indians jumped in front in the top of the first with a solo homer to right field to establish a 1-0 edge.
Francis Marion countered in the bottom half of the first as senior second baseman
Jimmy Koza produced a leadoff double to left-center before Bussey III drew a walk. The next at bat, McAnally launched a three-run blast to left field, his team-leading 24th homer of the year, to take a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Bussey III added to the lead for the Patriots with a solo shot to left field, his 21st of the season, to extend the lead to 4-1.
Catawba responded in the third with a two-run homer to right field to trim the deficit to 4-3 before tying the game in the top of the fourth with a solo blast to left field, 4-4.
In the top of the fifth, the Catawba Indians took the lead 5-4 as the runner on first scored on a double to right-center following a fielding error in right field. FMU answered in the bottom half of the fifth with a two-out, RBI double to left-center by Proffitt to knot the game at 5-5.
The Patriots regained the lead on a wild play in the bottom of the sixth. With Bussey III on second and McAnally at first, FMU attempted a double steal with McAnally thrown out at second, but Bussey III scored on a close play at the plate to take the lead, 6-5.
In the top of the eighth, Catawba appeared to tie the game on a balk with runners at second and third, but following a meeting by the umpires, the call was overturned. Martinez Delgado escaped the eighth with a strikeout.
Francis Marion loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth following two hit-by-pitches and a bunt single to third. With one out, Proffitt scored from third on a wild pitch, 7-5. Senior first baseman
Riley Orr followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to take a three-run lead into the final inning, 8-5.
In the top of the ninth, the Catawba Indians produced back-to-back singles to begin the frame before eventually loading the bases with two outs. A fielder's choice during the next at-bat sealed the win by an 8-5 margin.
Sam Alessi of Catawba (0-2) suffered the loss after yielding three earned runs on one hit in 2.0 innings pitched.
