FLORENCE, SC – Early leads proved effective on Saturday afternoon (March 6) as second-ranked Francis Marion University opened Peach Belt Conference play by splitting a doubleheader with visiting USC Aiken. USCA scored the first eight runs in game one en route to a 10-5 win, while Francis Marion scored the first four tallies of game two before claiming a 12-3 victory.
FMU moves to 13-3 overall and 1-1 in the PBC, while USCA is 10-7 and 4-1. The two squads will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Cormell Field.
Senior right-hander Erik Sommerville remained unbeaten (4-0) with 7.1 innings of work. He allowed three runs on just three hits, while striking out seven. Southpaw Shane Gebhards pitched the final 1.2 and allowed only one hit.
Three Patriots collected two hits and scored twice: catcher Logan Bland, designated hitter Jacob Wallace, and second baseman Josh Biggers. Biggers also drove in two runs, as did center fielder Graham Couch.
USCA scored its three runs on a wild pitch in the fifth and RBI fielder’s choice grounders in the eighth by right fielder Alex Franklin and second baseman David Vitko. Pacer starter Clayton Knight (1-3) was tabbed with the loss, although only one of the six runs he allowed was earned. The Pacers committed five errors in the second contest.
In the opener, USCA shortstop Stephen Carmon went 4-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Designated hitter Nick Aranas was 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBIs, while catcher Gary Asbill was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in as the Pacers rapped out 17 hits.
Steven Owen (4-1) earned the win, while Tyler Stephans recorded a save.
Senior right fielder Alex Lee led FMU at the plate in game one as he singled, doubled, and homered, scored twice, and drove in two runs. FMU left-hander starter Josh Edgin (2-2) lasted only into the fourth frame.
USC Aiken 10, #2 Francis Marion Univ. 5 (Mar 06, 2010 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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USC Aiken........... 111 301 012 - 10 17 1 (10-6, 4-0 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 000 041 - 5 9 6 (12-3, 0-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: USC Aiken - Steven Owens; Christian Stutts(8); Tyler Stephan(8).
Francis Marion Univ. - Josh Edgin; Don Sandifer(4); Tyler Lehman(9).
Win-Steven Owens(4-1) Save-Tyler Stephan(1) Loss-Josh Edgin(2-2) T-3:00 A-100
HR FMU - Alex Lee (3).
Stutts faced 2 batters in the 8th.
#2 Francis Marion Univ. 12, USC Aiken 3 (Mar 06, 2010 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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USC Aiken........... 000 010 020 - 3 4 5 (10-7, 4-1 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 110 202 60X - 12 12 1 (13-3, 1-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: USC Aiken - Clayton Knight; Ryan Milewski(6); Gavin Scott(7). Francis Marion Univ. -
Erik Sommerville; Shane Gebhards(8).
Win-Erik Sommerville(4-0) Loss-Clayton Knight(1-3) T-3:00 A-0
Milewski faced 5 batters in the 7th.
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