FLORENCE, S.C. – Sophomore Jared Barkdoll delivered a 2-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning to help lift sixth-ranked Francis Marion University to a 7-5 win over Belmont Abbey College and a split of their Saturday afternoon (Feb. 3) baseball doubleheader. Belmont Abbey scored a pair of unearned runs and four Crusader pitchers limited FMU to four singles in a 2-1 game one win.

In the opener, Belmont Abbey scored unearned runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Seth Waller struck out to lead off the fifth frame, but reached when the third strike was a wild pitch. He went to second on a single, took third on a passed ball, and then scored on a Nick Popp sacrifice fly to left center. In the sixth, Waller drove home the second Crusader run with an infield groundout. The inning was prolonged by two FMU errors and a hit batter.

Francis Marion scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. Pinch hitter Eric Armstrong plated Ryan Hewitt with a run-scoring single to left.

FMU junior righty Dylan Owen (0-1) was tagged with the loss despite fanning seven in six innings and allowing only six singles. Belmont Abbey starter Andy Helms (1-0) tossed five shutout innings and Evan Jonas recorded the final three outs to earn a save.

Belmont Abbey center fielder Patrick Atwell (2-for-4) was the lone player on either side with more than one hit in game one.

It was the first time since 1994 that the Patriots lost their season opener.

In the second game, senior right-hander Brooks Sinquefield (1-0) allowed only one hit over three innings in relief to earn the win. Crusader starter Andrew Morton (0-1) allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings and was the loser.

Senior catcher Michael Ward and junior left fielder Justin Greene both went 2-for-4 for Francis Marion, while Ward and Barkdoll both drove home two runs. Barkdoll’s two-run hit in the fifth inning, erased a 5-4 Belmont Abbey lead. Later in the inning, Barkdoll scored the game’s final run on a balk.

Three Belmont Abbey batters – Derek Swilley, Josh Haire, and Waller – all collected two hits in the second game, with Swilley also driving in a pair of runs.

FMU plays at Claflin University, Sunday at 1 p.m. Belmont Abbey will host Concord College for a doubleheader, Feb. 10 at noon.