SPARTANURG, S.C. ---- Four two-out errors in the bottom of the seventh inning led to five unearned runs as fifth-seeded and 25th-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University rallied for an 11-6 win over third-seeded and 22nd-ranked Francis Marion University, Friday evening (May 11) in a winner’s bracket game at the 2007 Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament.

AASU (37-20) is the lone remaining unbeaten team in the double-elimination event. Francis Marion (36-17) will now face sixth-seeded USC Aiken in an elimination game, Saturday at 11 a.m. If FMU wins that game, the Patriots would then face AASU again in a 7 p.m. contest.

FMU built a 4-2 advantage heading into the last of the seventh. A sacrifice fly and an RBI single knotted the score before the Patriot defense faltered. Three infield errors and an outfield misplay allowed five more runs to cross the plate as AASU took a 9-4 advantage. The inning also included a walk, a wild pitch, and four Pirate hits.

The game was delayed for 57 minutes by lightning. FMU then grabbed a quick 1-0 lead as sophomore Jared Barkdoll doubled home Greg Phelps. Barkdoll had his 18-game hitting streak snapped on Thursday.

AASU answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first frame as infielders Josh Wilson and Kenny Cail delivered RBI hits. FMU then score twice in the second to go up 3-2. David Bounds plated Ryan Hewitt with an RBI single to right field and Derek Kennamer later scored on a Pirate throwing error.

Francis Marion scored once in the top of the seventh, on a bases-loaded walk by Justin Greene, setting the stage for the disastrous bottom half of the inning. AASU tacked on two more runs in the eighth to lead 11-4, before FMU senior first baseman Andy Howes hit an RBI triple and senior catcher Michael Ward singled home Howes in the ninth to account for the final five-run margin.

FMU freshman left-hander Cory Deering (4-1) suffered his first collegiate loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 6.2 innings. The 11 runs equaled the most allowed by the Patriots this season.

AASU starter Vyt Rivers (6-5) was the beneficiary of the Pirate rally, while reliever Truman Marek pitched the final two innings, and also went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored and two runs driven in.

Hewitt, a freshman designated hitter, was the lone Patriot with more than one hit as he went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Earlier Friday, 15th-ranked and second-seeded Columbus State University eliminated fifth-ranked and top-seeded Georgia College & State University 6-4, while host USC Upstate stayed alive with a 5-3 win over USCA.