FLORENCE, SC — Junior third baseman Brian McFadden drove home Nick Richardson with a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the last inning to lift ninth-ranked Francis Marion University to a 4-3 game-two victory over Columbus State University and to a sweep of Saturday's (April 2) Peach Belt Conference doubleheader.
FMU freshman right-hander Dylan Owen continued his stellar pitching in game one, as he tossed a six-hitter en route to a 5-1 Patriot win on a blustery day at Cormell Field.
Francis Marion snaps a four-game losing streak and ups its overall mark to 23-11-1 and its PBC record to 13-9-1. Columbus State drops to 15-20 and 6-11. The two squads will conclude their PBC series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
In the opener, Owen (5-1) struck out nine, while walking only one. He has won his last four PBC starts, while allowing only five runs. He limited CSU to only three singles through eight innings, before allowing three hits and the Cougars' lone run in the top of the ninth inning.
FMU scored three runs on five hits in the top of the first inning to stake Owen to a 3-0 advantage. Luke Ogletree drove home the first run with an RBI fielder's choice, while Danny Mattonelli doubled home the second run, and Richardson plated the third run with an infield single.
The Patriots struck for two more runs in the sixth as McFadden stroked a two-run single through the left side of the infield. McFadden, Richardson, and shortstop Jason Weaver were all two-for-four to lead FMU, while leadoff man Omar Quiles was two-for-five, his 17th multi-hit game of the year.
Nick Shay and Stephen Worrell each collected two hits (in four at bats) for CSU, while catcher Trent Bianco drove home the Cougars' run with a single to center field. Senior righty Brian Baker (5-3) went the distance for Columbus State in game one, allowing 11 hits and striking out 11.
In the second game, FMU trailed 3-0 after CSU batted in the top of the fourth frame, but the Patriots rallied to knot the score at 3-3 in the fifth inning. In the bottom of the seventh (and final) inning, Richardson drilled a one-out double down the left field line. Nick Stewart then singled through the left side, putting runners on first and third with still only one out. On the next pitch, McFadden bunted the ball in front of home plate and the ball glanced off CSU catcher Sean Sasser and rolled into foul territory as Richardson crossed the plate with the winning run.
Richardson finished the second game two-for-four and he scored both the tying and winning runs. Weaver was two-for-three, while McFadden was one-for-two with two RBIs. Ogletree plated FMU's first run with an infield single.
Columbus State pounded out 10 hits over the first four innings, but only produced three runs. First baseman Billy Howard, who was three-for-four in game two, hit an RBI single to center field in the third to put the Cougars up 1-0. RBI singles by David Brown and Howard in the fourth frame swelled the CSU advantage to 3-0.
FMU reliever Brooks Sinquefield (3-4) pitched the final three innings and held the Cougars to only one additional hit. Senior right-handed starter Nolan Pendleton (3-4) was tagged with the game-two loss.
CSU outfielders Joey Streeter and Brad Shea each went two-for-four in game two.
#9 Francis Marion 5, Columbus State 1 (Apr 2, 2005 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Columbus State Univ. 000 000 001 - 1 6 1 (15-19, 6-10 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 300 002 00X - 5 11 1 (22-11-1, 12-9-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: CSU - Baker. FMU - Owen.
Win-Owen (5-1) Loss-Baker (5-3) T-2:06 Atten.-87
Game notes:
Owen wins his fourth straight Peach Belt Conference game start ; 9th-ranked FMU snaps a four-game losing streak
#9 Francis Marion 4, Columbus State 3 (Apr 2, 2005 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Columbus State Univ. 001 200 0 - 3 11 0 (15-20, 6-11 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 120 1 - 4 8 1 (23-11-1, 13-9-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: CSU - Pendleton. FMU - Tabor; Jordan(4); Sinquefield(5). Win-Sinquefield (3-4) Loss-Pendleton (3-4) T-1:48
Game notes: McFadden's squeeze bunt single plates Richardson with winning run
