FLORENCE, S.C. – Junior left fielder Justin Greene had four hits, scored twice, and drove in three runs as 27th-ranked Francis Marion University claimed a 7-1 win over sixth-ranked Columbus State University in game one of Saturday’s (March 10) Peach Belt Conference doubleheader. The Patriots completed the sweep with a 5-3 victory in game two as Derek Kennamer, Jared Barkdoll, and Taylor Norfleet each had two hits and drove in one run.
FMU has won four straight and ups its overall record to 16-7, while improving to 7-4 in the PBC. Columbus State drops to 16-6 and 6-5. The two teams will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Greene homered in the first and rapped RBI singles in both the second and third innings as FMU quickly built a 7-0 advantage. That was enough for junior All-American Dylan Owen (4-1), who pitched into the ninth inning while allowing only seven hits and one run. He struck out seven.
Norfleet also had a pair of hits in the opener, as did Patriot senior first baseman Andy Howes. With hits in both games, Kennamer extended his hitting streak to 14 games.
Columbus State southpaw Korey Noles (4-1) allowed 12 hits and seven runs (four earned) in five innings and was tagged with the loss.
Catcher Brian Gordon plated CSU’s lone run in the opener with a sixth-inning RBI single. Gordon and left fielder Drew Candlin both paced CSU in the opener with two hits in four at bats.
In game two, an RBI ground out by Howes and a run-scoring single by Barkdoll staked FMU to a 2-0 lead after three frames. An RBI single by Cougar third baseman Brad Linton in the fourth trimmed the lead to 2-1. However, FMU scored three times in the fifth inning on RBI singles by Norfleet, shortstop Greg Phelps, and Kennamer to go ahead 5-1.
Linton hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to complete the scoring. He was the lone Cougar with multiple hits in the second contest.
FMU lefty Michael Williams (4-0) remained unbeaten, while junior left-hander Zach Farry earned his second save of 2007. CSU righty Jarrett Coker (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing nine hits and four earned runs in 4.1 innings.
