SALISBURY, NC – In a winner-take-all Game 3 in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, the fifth-seeded and ninth-ranked Francis Marion University baseball team was unable to overcome an early innings deficit in a 6-3 loss at second-seed and third-ranked Catawba College on a gloomy and rainy Saturday (May 23) at Newman Park.
Francis Marion finishes its 2026 campaign with a 46-14 overall record, setting a new program record for wins in a single season. The Catawba Indians (47-12) advance to Cary, N.C., for the second time in three years, having competed in the previous three Super Regionals.
The Patriots close the year breaking multiple single-season and career records, including scoring 669 runs, the third-most in NCAA Division II baseball history. Redshirt junior right fielder
Charlie Bussey III closes the year as the DII all-time runs scored leader in a single-season with 118. Junior designated hitter
Ethan McAnally finishes in a tie for second all-time in DII baseball history with 104 RBIs in a single-season.
Junior right-handed pitcher
Jafet Martinez Delgado was the standout performer for FMU on Saturday after tossing a season-high 6.0 innings out of the bullpen. He allowed just one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts and zero walks. Martinez Delgado recorded outs on the initial six batters he faced and retired the side in order three times.
Junior southpaw
Aydin Palmer, a product of South Florence High School, tossed 1.2 scoreless innings to close out the game with just one hit surrendered and one strikeout.
The Patriots' potent offense was held to just six hits, as Bussey III reached base three times after going 2-for-4 with one RBI, a hit-by-pitch, and one stolen base. Senior second baseman
Jimmy Koza finished 2-for-5 with one run batted in, one run scored, and one stolen base.
In the bottom of the first, the Catawba Indians loaded the bases with the initial three batters of the game. Following a strikeout, Catawba delivered a two-run single to center field before launching a three-run homer to left field to take a 5-0 advantage.
The Patriots answered in the top of the third as Koza doubled to left-center with one out before Bussey III laced a single to center field to put runners on the corners. During the next at-bat, FMU executed a delayed double steal as Koza ultimately stole home to cut the deficit to 5-1.
After three scoreless frames, the Patriots closed the gap to 5-3 in the top of the seventh. The freshman duo of third baseman
Myles Proffitt and shortstop
Logan Davis reached base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch, respectively. The pair would move into scoring position on a balk before Koza and Bussey III delivered back-to-back RBI groundouts.
Catawba scored a critical run in the bottom half of the seventh on a two-out, RBI single up the middle to regain a three-run lead, 6-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Patriots would load the bases with two outs, but were unable to score after the final out was recorded in foul territory by the first base.
Kemper Nix of Catawba (4-0) earned the win after yielding one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.
