FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University Baseball Team (7-0) completed the three-game sweep of Emory & Henry University (1-5) Saturday afternoon as the Patriots took both games of a non-conference doubleheader. FMU won game one by a 7-4 margin before walking off the Wasps 5-4 in the nightcap. 

The Basics
GAME ONE – Francis Marion 7, Emory & Henry 4 (Seven Innings)
GAME TWO – Francis Marion 5, Emory & Henry 4
LOCATION – Florence, South Carolina
VENUE – Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-5, 0-0 SAC); Francis Marion (7-0, 0-0 Carolinas)

Game One - Francis Marion 7, Emory & Henry 4 (Seven Innings)
The Wasps were first to score in game one of the doubleheader as they struck for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Fifth-year second baseman Jared Foley (Sparta, N.C.) drilled a leadoff single, swiped second and moved up to third on a single from senior shortstop Steven Smith (Salisbury, N.C.). An RBI groundout by senior first baseman Jacob Bebber (Taylorsville, N.C.) scored Foley and an RBI single off the bat of fifth-year designated hitter Caeden Howell (Roaring River, N.C.) plated Smith to put the Wasps up 2-0. The Patriots answered with a three-run home run in the home half of the frame to jump ahead 3-2 after one.

FMU added another run in the bottom of the second on a pair of hits to increase the margin out to 4-2. E&H got a run back in the top of the fourth when Howell led off with a single and advanced to second after fifth-year catcher Camden Bailey (Sterling, Ill.) was hit by a pitch. Sophomore third baseman Jack Ferguson (Abingdon, Va.) delivered an RBI single to score Howell and reduce the deficit to 4-3. Emory & Henry tied things up in the top of the fifth inning when fifth-year outfielder Triston Hensley (Covington, Va.) was drilled by a pitch, advanced to second on a single from Smith and scored on Bebber's RBI single as the score was knotted at 4-4. 

The home team had an immediate answer in the bottom of the fifth as they scored on a sacrifice fly to push back ahead 5-4. The Patriots would go on to add two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as they took game one of the doubleheader by a 7-4 tally.

 Robbie Jordan earned the win for FMU after allowing four runs on nine hits while fanning nine batters over five innings. Rayth Petersen threw two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the save. Junior pitcher Avery Salyer (Thaxton, Va.) took the loss for E&H as he allowed three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings of work on the hill. Ferguson paced the offense for Emory & Henry as he went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Smith added three hits of his own while Howell and Foley each had a pair of knocks. 

Game Two - Francis Marion 5, Emory & Henry 4
E&H was first on the board for the third time in as many games in the nightcap of the doubleheader. Hensley and Smith recorded back-to-back one-out singles to set the table for Bebber who ripped an RBI single down the line in right to put the Wasps on top 1-0. Francis Marion tied things up in the bottom of the second on a solo home run from Owen Taylor to make it 1-1. The Wasps scored again in the top of the third when Smith drew a walk and moved to second on a Bebber single. Howell singled through the left side to plate Smith and make it 2-1 in favor of the visitors from Emory.

FMU tied the game once more in the bottom of the fourth as the Patriots utilized a triple and an RBI single to bring the score level at 2-2. The tie did not last long however, as the Wasps put up a run in the top of the fifth. Smith led off the inning with a single, stole second and came around to score on another RBI from Bebber to put E&H back on top 3-2. The Patriots would not go quietly as they struck for another run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a pair of hits to tie the score at 3-3. 

Both teams' bats were held silent through the seventh and eighth innings to set the stage for the ninth. The first two Wasp batters were retired, but Smith came up big as he launched a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left to give E&H the 4-3 lead heading to the bottom half of the ninth. FMU loaded the bases with nobody out in the deciding frame, but fifth-year reliever Jack Swarbrick (Haverhill, Mass.) fanned the next two batters to keep the Patriots off of the scoreboard. Rayth Petersen came up clutch once more for the home team as he laced a two-RBI, walk off single through the right side of the infield to give Francis Marion the 5-4 win. 

Jackson Madden was the winning pitcher for FMU as he gave up just one run on three hits while striking out three batters in 3.2 innings. Swarbrick took the loss for the Wasps after allowing two runs, one earned, and three hits with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work. Smith and Bebber paced E&H with three hits apiece, including one and two RBIs respectively. Ferguson had a pair of hits while Hensley, Howell, junior catcher Ky Gregoire (Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA) and senior outfielder Khadeem Lewis (Chesterfield, Va.) each had one hit. 

Up Next
Emory & Henry is back in action on Tuesday, February 11 when the Wasps make the short trip to take on border rival King (Tenn.) University in non-conference play. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from Bristol, Tennessee. 

--E&H--