WILSON, N.C.-Francis Marion University used a two-run homer in the ninth to force extra innings and later scored the game winning run on a delayed double steal to squeak out an 8-7 Southeast Region win over Barton College on Wednesday afternoon at Nixon Field.
The Patriots (4-3) won for the second straight day to climb back over .500 while the Bulldogs (2-6) suffered a loss in extra innings for the first time in three tries this season.
Junior Brock McCallister (Laurel, Md.) led off the top of the 12th with a single and after a Tyler Cappelmann (Sumter, N.C.) walk tagged up and moved to third on a deep fly ball out to center.
With two outs and night fall looming on a lightless Nixon Field, Cappelmann took off for second base before Barton sophomore pitcher Christian Oliver started his pitching motion on a 1-2 count. Oliver threw to second base for the potential third out which immediately gave McCallister the green light to take off for home at third. The Bulldogs started a rundown but realized they would not be able to apply the tag before McCAllister scored so they attempted a late throw to the catcher. However, McCallister had already crossed the plate for the go-ahead run.
Oliver (1-1), who was tagged with the loss allowing just the one run over two innings, struck out the Patriots batter on the next pitch to end the threat. FMU senior Tyler Lehman (1-0) earned the win tossing the final four innings. Lehman tossed a 1-2-3 bottom half of the 12th including his third and fourth strikeouts to close the game.
The top third of the Barton lineup all produced three hits accounting for nine of the Bulldogs 15 base knocks. Freshman David Gibbons and junior Chris Rawlings (Charlotte, N.C.) each poked three singles. Gibbons scored three times and Rawlings rounded the bases twice. Junior Ryan Daughtry (Princeton, N.C.) drove in four runs on a 3-for-4 performance that featured a two-run double in the third and a game-tying two out single in the 10th.
McCallister led the visitors with three singles and his game-winning steal home was his third time touching home plate. Cappelmann and junior John Jones (Phoenix, Ariz.) both added two singles apiece.
Barton took a 6-4 advantage into the ninth but FMU 6-foot-4 senior first baseman Preston Shuey (Charlotte, N.C.) came up with a clutch two-run blast to tie the score. Shuey's equalizer just barely cleared the 360 foot signage on the fence in left-center as the ball hit off the top of the yellow line and bounced over. Shuey's long ball was the first homer for either team this season.
The close game featured five lead changes. After exchanging one run in the first, Francis Marion regained a one-run lead at 2-1 in the second on an RBI-single by freshman Michael Wilson (Florence, S.C.). Barton leapfrogged in front 3-2 on Daughtry's two-run double in the third before the Patriots regained a 4-3 edge with a pair of runs in the sixth. BC took its last lead of 6-4 with three runs in the seventh that was highlighted by run-producing singles from sophomore Phillip Williams (Gibson, N.C.) and freshman Zac Crumpler (Wilson, N.C.) and a bases loaded walk from freshman Collins Cuthrell (Rocky Mount, N.C.).
After Shuey deadlocked the score in the ninth, Francis Marion nearly won the game in the 10th on a go-ahead single by junior Austin Smetana. Barton never quit and Daughtry leveled the scoreboard for the fourth and final time with his seeing-eyed single through the right side of the infield as Barton was down to its last out.
Both teams had six pitchers toe the rubber. Jimmie Davis (Elizabethtown, N.C.) was impressive in his first collegiate mound appearance, going five strong innings in the start. Davis only allowed one earned run on six hits while fanning three.
Barton next visits No. 27 Columbus State University (Ga.) for a three-game weekend series. Saturday's twin bill begins at 1 p.m., and Sunday's finale is slated for a Noon first pitch.
