FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior catcher Michael Ward homered, doubled, and drove in three runs, while seven Francis Marion University pitchers held Limestone College to six hits as the 29th-ranked Patriots captured an 11-1 non-conference baseball win, Wednesday evening (April 4) on Cormell Field.

Ward paced the Patriots (26-14) with his 2-for-3 night that included a 400-foot, two-run homer in fifth inning. Just last week the Florence native broke the FMU career record for runs batted in and now has upped his total to 145.

Junior infielder Ryan Hypke was 3-for-4 for FMU and drove in two runs. Justin Greene, was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Ryan Hewitt and David Bounds also had two hits apiece, as Francis Marion pounded out 14 safeties.

With a predetermined pitching line-up, freshman righty Erik Sommerville (2-1), the second of the seven Patriot hurlers, got credit for the win with a pair of scoreless innings.

Kyle Matheney (0-2), the second of five Limestone pitchers, was tagged with the loss as he allowed FMU’s first two runs.

Trailing 4-0, Limestone plated its lone run in the sixth inning when first baseman Phillip Soden doubled home Daniel Lydon. However, the run was unearned as an infield error prolonged the inning.

Leadoff batter Zachary Watkins was the lone Saint with more than one hit as he went 2-for-4.

FMU opens a three-game Peach Belt Conference series with Georgia Southwestern State University with a single game on Friday night at 7 p.m. Limestone plays a doubleheader at Mount Olive College, Friday at noon.

Wednesday’s contest pitted FMU against Limestone head coach Anthony “Chico” Lombardo, who played outfield for the Patriots and is a 1979 graduate of Francis Marion.