FLORENCE, S.C. – Sophomore right-hander Zane Petty and senior lefty Zach Farry combined on an eight-hitter and 23rd-ranked Francis Marion University used an unusual variety of ways to score as the Patriots edged Georgia College & State University 4-3, Monday afternoon (April 7) in the final game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference baseball series. 

Francis Marion improves to 26-16 overall and 12-9 in the PBC and moves into third place in the conference standings, percentage points ahead of AASU. GC&SU drops to 23-18 and 9-9.

Petty (3-0), a native of Surfside Beach, limited the Bobcats to one unearned run on five hits in 5.1 innings. Farry then notched his 10th save of 2008, tying the school record that he set in 2007. All of his saves this season have been of at least two innings, including Monday’s 3.2 inning outing.

GC&SU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning with the unearned run off Petty. After a pop up was dropped with two outs prolonging the inning, GC&SU second baseman Tommy Rice singled to right centerfield scoring Richard Pirkle.

FMU responded with single runs in the second, third, fourth, and fifth frames to take a 4-1 advantage. The runs came across on an RBI ground out by Ryan Hypke, sacrifice flies by Jared Barkdoll and Justin Greene, and an infield error by the Bobcats.

Farry escaped a bases-loaded one-out situation in the sixth inning, by inducing a foul out behind home plate and a fly out. GC&SU plated two runs against the reliever in the eighth on an RBI double by Pirkle and a sacrifice fly by Matt Pitts.

Farry retired the Bobcats in order in the ninth.

Shortstop Greg Phelps and right fielder Trent Knight both had two hits for FMU, while Pirkle was 3-for-3 and catcher Pete Paris was 2-for-3 to lead the Bobcats.

GC&SU southpaw Clete Jessup (3-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing the first three FMU runs in 3.1 innings of work.

FMU will play at St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Tuesday at 3 p.m., while GC&SU plays at Benedict College on Tuesday at 4 p.m.