Florence, SC – Southern Wesleyan dropped the final two games of the series against the Francis Marion Patriots on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors fell in game one 18-1 and then dropped game two 9-6.
The Warriors picked up three hits in game one. Gage Shaver recorded the lone RBI of the game. Southern Wesleyan walked three times. Alex Sweeney started the game on the mound for the Warriors. Five pitchers came in to pitch in relief. Logan Brazell led the team with three strikeouts.
Southern Wesleyan recorded seven hits in game two. Gage Shaver and Nolan Evatt each doubled. Griffin Pickhardt picked up three of the six RBIs in the game. Both Cam Mitchem and Josh Long walked, and Long was also hit by a pitch. Lukas Arvantides started the final game of the series on the mound and pitched four innings while striking out five batters.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Francis Marion 18, Southern Wesleyan 1
Game Two Final: Francis Marion 9, Southern Wesleyan 6
Records: Southern Wesleyan (7-24 / CC 6-12) Francis Marion (22-9 / CC 12-6)
How It Happened
Game One
Francis Marion charged out of the gate in the first game of the afternoon as they brought six runs in to score between the first and second innings.
The Warriors answered in the top of the third inning. With one out, Gavin Mitchell walked and then advanced to second on a single by Jack Dennison. Cam Mitchem walked to load up the bases for Gage Shaver. Shaver hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Mitchell to come in to score.
The Patriots would not relent as they scored in each of the remaining innings to win the game in an 18-1 final score.
Game Two
The Warriors plated the first runs of the final game of the series as they brought two runs in to score in the top of the second inning. Cam Mitchem led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second as Niko Laing reached base on an error by the Patriots' third baseman. Josh Long laid down a sacrifice bunt to allow both runners to advance a base. With both Mitchem and Laing in scoring position, Griffin Pickhardt hit a single down the left field line to allow both of them to come in to score to give the Warriors an early 2-0 run advantage.
Southern Wesleyan extended on their lead in the fourth inning. Cam Mitchem reached on another error by Francis Marion's third baseman and then advanced to second on the play. An error by the pitcher allowed Niko Laing to take first and allowed Mitchem to advance to third. Josh Long was hit by the second pitch he saw to load up the bases for Griffin Pickhardt. Pickhardt then hit into a fielder's choice that took Long off the bases but allowed Mitchem to come in to score. A sacrifice fly out to left field by Nolan Evatt brought Laing in to score to extend the Warriors' lead to four.
The Patriots began to chip away at the Warriors' lead in the fourth inning as Taylor hit a home run down the left field line.
Francis Marion went on to tie the game up in the fifth inning as a triple by Oakley and an error by the Warriors allowed three runs to come in to score.
The Patriots were not done as they brought three more runs in to score off a home run by Bussey and a sacrifice fly by Taylor in the seventh inning.
In the top of the eighth, the Warriors challenged right back. Marty Grisso led off the inning by singling to left field. Grisso advanced to third base as Gage Shaver doubled to left center field. With two runners in scoring position, Cam Mitchem ground out to the shortstop to allowed Grisso to come in to score to put the Warriors right back within two runs of the Patriots.
However, Francis Marion regained a four run advantage in the bottom of the inning as they brought two runs in to score.
Southern Wesleyan fought back in the ninth. Nolan Evatt led off the inning by doubled to right center field. He advanced to third base as Zachary Kim ground out to the Patriots' shortstop. Jack Dennison grounded out shortly afterwards to bring Evatt in to score. However, the Warriors fell in the final game of the series in a 9-6 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on March 26 as they travel to Young Harris, GA to take on the Young Harris Mountain Lions for the second time this season. They will return to Central, SC to host the Barton Bulldogs on March 28-29. The Warriors will welcome the Georgia College Bobcats to Dr. C Keith Connor Field on April 2.
