FMU ROUNDUP: Patriots blow by Tornado in baseball

FLORENCE — Sixth-ranked Francis Marion University scored 10 runs between the fifth and seventh innings to cruise to a 12-2 baseball win over the King College Tornado on the final day of the Auddie Brown Baseball Classic at Cormell Field.

The Patriots improve to 4-2 and will host to Belmont Abbey College on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Junior right-hander Gary Ashcraft (2-0) picked up the win. He worked five innings, gave up four hits and struck out four before giving way to sophomore Jeffrey Stoner.

Stoner worked three innings, gave up a hit, walked none and struck out seven. Will Chandler worked a perfect ninth inning striking out the side.

At the plate, FMU was led by junior first baseman Stephen Tarkenton’s 2-for-4 day with three RBI. Junior infielder Tyler Hibbs was 2-for-2 with an RBI, junior catcher Jacob Golliday was 2-for-4, and Chandler was 2-for-5 with an RBI.

The Patriots took the lead 1-0 in the second inning when Chandler doubled into left-center field, plating Tarkenton.

King (1-5) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning on a Cody Snyder RBI base hit to right. FMU answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the third to tie it 2-2.

In the fifth, FMU took the lead for good on a single to right by senior Brock McCallister that scored junior outfielder Jarrod Reed. The Patriots would hang three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings, before adding four more in the bottom of the seventh.

McCallister finished with a pair of RBI, while sophomore Michael Wilson and seniors Buddy Sosnoskie and Tyler Boyd had an RBI apiece.

Senior righty Danny Laperna (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Snyder had two of the Tornado’s five hits.

SOFTBALL

Patriots sweep Mars Hill

FLORENCE — Right-handers Kayla Ellingsen and Katie Carnes pitched complete games and each helped their own cause with run-scoring hits as Francis Marion swept a non-conference doubleheader from Mars Hill College, 7-5 and 5-2.

Francis Marion improves to 6-0, while Mars Hill drops to 5-3. The Patriots will host Wingate University for a twinbill on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Ellingsen (3-0) scattered 11 hits, struck out three and walked three as FMU won the opener 7-5. At the plate, the senior was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

Sophomore left fielder Sara Broderick led FMU with a 3-for-4 first game, while junior third baseman Tristan Faile joined Ellingsen with two hits.

Junior catcher Olivia Ferguson drilled a two-run double off the left-field fence as FMU batted around and scored five times in the bottom of the first inning.

The Patriots led 7-3 entering the seventh, but Mars Hill scored twice and loaded the bases before Ellingsen coaxed a short flyout and a strikeout to end the game.

Losing pitcher Taylor Morris (3-1) and second baseman Shaundee Woosley each had three hits and two RBI for Mars Hill.

Carnes (2-0), a freshman from Pageland, tossed a four-hitter as FMU won game two 5-2. She fanned seven and walked none while rapping out an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Each team scored once in the first frame of game two and the Lions took a 2-1 lead in the third. The Patriots answered with two runs in the fourth.

Ferguson, who moved to right field for the second contest, drilled a 3-2 pitch from righty Taylor Hussey (1-2) off the left-field foul pole for her first homer of the season and second career long ball in 104 games.

Four batters later, junior outfielder Jazz Holliday poked an RBI single through the right side to give FMU a 3-2 advantage.

Francis Marion added a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

Holliday, a native of Florence, was 3-for-3, while Faile finished 2-for-3.

Center fielder Natalie Haithcox (2-for-3) was the lone Lion with multiple hits in game two. First baseman Robyn Stanek drove in both Mars Hill runs.