SPARTANBURG, SC –   Francis Marion University freshman right-hander Dylan Owen tossed a complete game six-hitter and the Patriots banged out 10 singles en route to the 3-1 Peach Belt Conference victory over USC Upstate, Friday evening (March 18) at Harley Park.

Francis Marion improves its overall record to 19-6-1 and its conference mark to 9-6-1 with the Patriots' eighth straight win.  USC Upstate falls to 17-11 and 4-9.

Francis Marion would jump out in front early, scoring a run in the first.  Second baseman Omar Quiles and shortstop Jason Weaver each singled to start the inning.  Michael Ward singled to center to score Quiles and gave the Patriots the 1-0 lead.

In the third, Francis Marion would plate its second run.  Ward reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a single to center by sophomore right fielder Nick Stewart, giving the Patriots a 2-0 lead.  The Patriots would go up 3-0 in the fifth when Luke Ogletree led off with a walk and Ward was hit-by-a-pitch to put runners on first and second with nobody out.  Both runners advanced into scoring position on a Stewart sacrifice bunt, and designated hitter Danny  Mattonelli drove in Ogletree with a groundout to second.

The Spartans put a dent in the Patriot lead, scoring one run in the eighth and snapping Owen's scoreless-innings streak at 17.  Andrew Maddox led off with a bunt single, was sacrificed to third, and then scored on a throwing error by Ogletree to make the score 3-1.

USC Upstate would put together a rally in the ninth with two outs by loading the bases, but Owen escaped for his third win in four decisions.  Owen (3-1) struck out 10 to earn the victory.  USC Upstate starter Brandon Williams (3-2) took the loss.

Ogletree and Justin Greene both went 2-for-3 for the Patriots, while Quiles was 2-for-4.  Bret Hansen was 1-for-4 with a triple for the Spartans.

The two teams will wrap-up their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.