FLORENCE, S.C. – Two unearned runs in the eighth inning led Francis Marion University to a 4-2 win over Flagler College in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Saturday afternoon at Sparrow Stadium.
Francis Marion (8-2 overall, 5-0 Peach Belt) extended its winning streak to six games. Flagler (5-5, 0-2) dropped its fourth game in a row.
Will Hardee led off the bottom of the eighth for the Patriots as he reached on an error by Flagler shortstop
Steven DiPuglia. He was sacrificed to second base and then scored on CJ Mackinson's base hit to right to put Francis Marion ahead, 3-2. Mackinson would score later on a bases loaded walk for the insurance run.
The Saints did their damage in the fourth inning when
Ja'Kobi Dasher and
Nikolas Dague hit consecutive run-scoring singles.
Weston Rogers (2-0) kept the Flagler bats in check as he retired 12-of-the-last-15 batters he faced. He allowed two runs on six hits over eight innings of work. Rogers walked two and fanned four. Ethan Meece pitched a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts to earn the save.
Leniel Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with a double and a run batted in for the Patriots. Grayson Cottingham collected two singles and scored a run. Mackinson finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI.
Ryan Ashworth (1-1) took the loss in relief. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Robert Girgis started and lasted five innings. He surrendered two runs on five hits as well as tallying six walks and five strikeouts.
Nick Martinez finished the game.
Dillon Reed,
Aaron Anderson,
Austin Davis, and DiPuglia had the other Flagler hits.
The same two teams will meet in the series finale tomorrow at 1 p.m.
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