FMU Defeats Chowan University

WILSON, NC – Freshman left fielder Will Hardee set career highs with four RBIs and four runs scored as Francis Marion University routed Chowan University 18-3, Tuesday (April 16) in a non-conference baseball contest.
The Patriots (24-17) conclude their regular season slate with a three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Georgia Southwestern State University, which begins on Friday night (April 19) at 5 p.m.
Six batters recorded multiple hits for Francis Marion, led by Hardee and senior center fielder Gage Taylor, who had three knocks apiece. Nine different players scored at least once for FMU, with seven scoring at least twice. Eight different Patriots drove in at least one run, paced by Hardee’s four. Senior right fielder Cole Hinnant and junior first baseman Nick Pappas each collected three RBIs. Both Hardee and Pappas homered.
On the pitching side, six different FMU hurlers limited Chowan (13-21-1) to six hits. Sophomore left-handed starter Weston Rogers (3-3) earned the win, yielding two runs in three innings. The combination of junior righties Austin Moody of Dillon, Ethan Meece, and Patrick Orlando and senior right-hander Will Taks blanked the Hawks on two hits over the final five frames.
Francis Marion opened the scoring in the third, as Taylor brought Hardee home with a single. Chowan answered in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer by senior right fielder Marquise Lanier.
The Patriots wrestled the lead back from the Hawks with a five-run fourth. Senior third baseman Fred Wadsworth evened the score at 2-2 with an RBI single. After Hardee drew a walk to load the bases, Hinnant walked to put FMU back on top. Taylor was hit by a pitch to plate another run, Hardee scored on a wild pitch, and Pappas then completed the barrage with an RBI single.
Chowan pulled a run back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Nick Lees.
Pappas was at it again for Francis Marion in the sixth, launching a two-run homer to right-center. FMU tacked on three more in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Hardee and a two-run, two-bagger by Hinnant to extend its advantage to 11-3.
The Patriots continued the onslaught with four eighth-inning tallies, courtesy of an RBI single by senior shortstop CJ Mackinson and a three-run blast by Hardee.
Senior catcher Alex Griffith, redshirt freshman second baseman Tanner Wakefield, and Mackinson drove in a run apiece in the ninth to put a cap on FMU’s offensive outburst.
Junior right-hander Robert Burns (0-4) was saddled with the loss for the Hawks after surrendering six runs across 1.1 innings.

Francis Marion 18, Chowan 3
(Apr 16, 2019 at Wilson, N.C.)
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FMU… 001 502 343 – 18 16 1 (24-17)
Chowan……002 100 000 – 3 6 0 (13-21-1)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion – Weston Rogers; Noah Davis (4); Austin Moody of Dillon, SC (5); Will Taks (7);
Ethan Meece (8); Patrick Orlando (9) and Alex Griffith. Chowan – Vinny Puma; Robert Burns (3);
Daniel Whitener (4); Slade Cowan (4); Phillip Ashlock (7); Ryan Gallaccio (8); Noah Cartwright (9);
Jared Moore (9) and Jared Fry; Jackson Terry.
Win-Weston Rogers (3-3) Loss-Robert Burns (0-4) T-3:04 A-87
HR FMU – Will Hardee (2); Nick Pappas (4).
HR CHOWAN – Marquise Lanier (15).
Weather: sunny, 66*
D. Whitener faced 2 batters in the 4th.
N.Cartwright faced 4 batters in the 9th.

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