Thursday, March 16, 2006
FRANCIS MARION BEATS PRESBYTERIAN 8-3
FLORENCE, S.C. - Junior center fielder Derek Kennamer collected four hits and 24th-ranked Francis Marion University took advantage of a pair of two-out errors by Presbyterian College in a decisive third inning to claim an 8-3 non-conference win over the Blue Hose, Wednesday night (March 15) in college baseball action.
Francis Marion wins its second straight decision over a South Atlantic Conference opponent in as many nights to move to 16-8 on the season, while Presbyterian falls to 8-22.
Kennamer, who had two hits and four RBIs in Tuesday night's win over Mars Hill College, drove in one run and scored twice against Presbyterian. He singled to lead off the game, stole second base, and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Weaver to put the Patriots up 1-0.
Leading 2-0 in the third inning with no one on base and two outs, FMU's Michael Ward and Brent Johnson both reached base on infield errors. The miscues led to a four-run inning that upped the Patriot advantage to 6-0. Francis Marion scored twice in the sixth inning, on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk to Stan Markle, to grab an 8-0 lead.
FMU southpaw Brandon White, the first of five Patriot hurlers, got the win to improve to 3-0. FMU pitchers fanned 12 Blue Hose batters.
Presbyterian got on the scoreboard in the seventh inning when William Bolchoz (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) plated Nick Hoffner (Ellicot City, Md) with a sacrifice fly. The Blue Hose added two more runs in the eighth frame. Hoffner drove home Preston Simpson (Lancaster, S.C.) with an RBI single and Kyle Craven (Savannah, Ga) scored when the ball was misplayed by Markle in right field.
FMU freshman catcher Jared Barkdoll was 2-for-3, including a two-run single in the fourth inning. Second baseman Omar Quiles was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Hoffner paced the Presbyterian attack with a 3-for-4 performance, while center fielder Casey Carlson (Lexington, S.C.) was 2-for-5. Freshman right-hander Parker Suit (Macon, Ga) (1-3) allowed seven of the FMU runs (only two were earned) and was saddled with the loss.
Francis Marion will play a three-game Peach belt Conference series at Augusta State University this weekend, beginning with a single game on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Presbyterian plays a doubleheader at Wingate University, Saturday at 3 p.m.