FLORENCE, S.C. – The 27th-ranked Francis Marion University baseball team will play host to sixth-ranked Columbus State University for a key three-game Peach Belt Conference series this weekend.

The series will consist of a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. on FMU’s Cormell Field. Swamp Club passes are accepted, while general admission is $3 for adults and $2 for students.

The Patriots are 14-7 overall and fifth in the early PBC standings with a 5-4 mark. CSU is 16-4 and third in the PBC with a 6-3 mark.

Junior right-hander Dylan Owen will start Saturday’s opener according to FMU head coach Art Inabinet. Owen is 3-1 in five starts with a 0.91 earned run average and 51 strikeouts in only 39.2 innings.

Inabinet is undecided on his starting pitchers for the other two contests. The seventh-year head coach will be looking for his 200th win at the helm of the Patriots this weekend (198-132-1 record).

Seniors Michael Ward (.413 average) and Nick Stewart (.369) pace the Patriot hitting attack, which is averaging 7.9 runs per game over its last 12 contests. Coincidentally, leadoff man Derek Kennamer has hit safely in his last 12 games and raised his average to .346.

FMU is 99-25-1 in its last 125 home games. Columbus State leads the all-time series 27-21.