Errors Help No. 9 Patriots complete sweep of UNCP
PEMBROKE, NC – League-leading and ninth-ranked Francis Marion used three hits and a trio of costly errors to bust a close game wide open in the top of the seventh as the Patriots completed a three-game weekend sweep of UNC Pemnroke with an 8-2 victory over the Braves, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24) at Sammy Cox Field.
FMU freshman Preston Shuey doubled and drove in three runs for the Patriots (14-2, 3-0), while senior shortstop Greg Phelps crossed the plate three times and extended his hitting streak to 24 games with a 2-for-4 day at the plate.
UNCP newcomer Keith Whitman launched a pair of solo homers and accounted for half of the hit total for UNCP (11-6, 0-3 PBC) who also got base knocks from Edmond Locklear and Derek Funk.
Sophomore righty Erik Sommerville did not allow a hit in four innings of quality work for Francis Marion, but senior lefty closer Zach Farry (2-0) picked up his second win of the weekend despite seeing just two innings from the mound. Farry, who also registered a win and a save in Saturday’s doubleheader sweep, struck out a pair of batters and allowed one of Whitman’s two solo blasts on the day.
UNCP starter Tyler Wood (1-2) struck out four and allowed just one walk over six innings of work, but saddled the loss for the Braves after yielding 10 hits and four earned runs. The Braves used three arms of its bullpen as well, allowing just a pair of hits over the final three innings.
FMU junior Jared Barkdoll put the visitors on the board with a RBI single in the third, and pushed the lead out to a pair of runs with another RBI single in the fifth. Whitman ended FMU’s bid for both a no-hitter and a shutout with a two-out home run in the sixth, before the Patriots put the game on ice with the big seventh inning.
The Patriots used singles from Shawn Summers and Phelps, as well as a sacrifice bunt from Justin Greene, to put a pair of runners into position, before UNCP opted to load the bases by issuing a free pass to the hot-handed Barkdoll. Preston Shuey delivered a two-run single down the leftfield line to push the lead out to 4-1, but three errors by the hosts followed, allowing FMU to take a 7-1 lead into the eighth.
The Patriots used two more UNCP errors to plate another run in the eighth, and Whitman capped the game scoring with his second home run of the game in the bottom of the frame.
Francis Marion will open up a six-game homestand on Wednesday when it welcomes Wingate University (7-10) to Cormell Field for a 3 p.m. contest.
