ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College recorded a much needed doubleheader sweep of Francis Marion University to not only qualify for next week's Peach Belt Conference Tournament, but earn the No. 7 seed. The Saints rallied to win game one 7-3 and then poured it on in game two 10-1 Friday afternoon at Drysdale Field.

Flagler improved to 28-18 overall and 15-14 in the Peach Belt. Francis Marion, which needed to win two games in the three-game series to qualify for the post-season conference tournament, fell to 26-22 overall and 13-16 in conference play. The Patriots are eliminated from postseason consideration.

Flagler's Jabe Molinaro hit a sizzling .625 (5-for-8) with a double, triple and home run to go along with six runs batted in and he scored three runs in the twinbill.

In the opener, Francis Marion starter Fernando Pinillos did all he could for 7.1 innings and left the game with the score tied at 3-all.

Daniel Barfield came on to relieve Pinillos in the eighth and allowed a single to the first batter he faced – Cole Ondrejka. Barfield tried to pick Ondrejka off at first base, but the throw was wild and allowed Ondrejka to take second base. Nick Oberg hit a sharp single just inside the first base bag and down the right field line where the ball was cut off, but Oberg scampered into second and Ondrejka scored the go-ahead run.

The Saints weren't done there. Jake Hathaway hit a double to right field that scored Oberg and then Molinaro singled through the left side and a hustling Hathaway rounded the bag at third and just beat the throw to the plate to give Flagler a 6-3 lead. Molinaro, who took second on the throw, took third on a single by Dylan Jones. That chased Barfield and Bryce Evans greeted Patriot reliever Ryan Manore with an RBI single.

Flagler sent nine men to the plate in the eighth inning and scored four runs on six consecutive hits.

Kyle Schackne (3-0), who came on to relieve starter Mike O'Reilly in the seventh inning, tossed 2.1 scoreless innings, allowed one hit and struck out one batter to earn the win. O'Reilly tossed 6.2 innings, scattered eight hits, allowed three runs and fanned two.

Evans went 3-for-5 with a double, one run scored and one RBI. McMillen went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI while Molinaro went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Hathaway singled, doubled, scored two runs and he drove in another.

Barfield (1-2) faced five batters in the eighth inning and did not retire a batter to pick up the loss. He allowed five hits and four runs.

Antonio Pino went 3-for-4 with two RBI and JD Crowe collected three singles and drove in a run for the Patriots. All nine of the Patriot hits were singles.

In game two, the Saints pounded out 17 hits on their way to the 10-1 victory.

A pair of back-to-back RBI singles in the second inning was all the offense Flagler starter Michael Maiocco (7-1) would need.

Molinaro and Dylan Jones had the consecutive run-scoring singles.

The Saints added another in the fourth and erupted for three more in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Molinaro hit a two-run home run in the sixth.

After Francis Marion got on the board in the top of the eighth with a run, Flagler poured on three more runs to take a 10-1 lead. James Jean hit a colossal three-run home run down the left field line into the woods, a shot well over 420 feet.

Maiocco tossed six scoreless innings allowing only two hits. He walked two and fanned seven. Michael Hanke pitched the final 1.1 innings and struck out a season-high four batters.

Molinaro finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple, a home run and four RBI. Jean went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Jones collected three singles, scored two runs and drove in another.

Matt Kelley (6-5) tossed 7.1 innings and surrendered all 17 hits and nine earned runs. He walked two and fanned three.

The same two teams will meet in a mutual regular season finale tomorrow (May 7) at 1 p.m. Flagler will honor its nine seniors before the game.