Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Cory Guinn
FLORENCE, S.C. – The Barton College baseball team's recent losing streak has reached six games after losing a doubleheader to Francis Marion University on Wednesday night.
The Patriots downed the Bulldogs 10-1 in the first game of the day and earned a 13-5 victory in game two for the sweep. Barton's overall record fell to 13-20 on the season as Francis Marion improved to 21-10 overall.
Game One: Francis Marion 10 Barton 1 (Seven inn.)
A 10-run outburst in the second inning led the Patriots to a nine-run victory in the first game of the day.
Both Barton and Francis Marion went down in order in their respective halves of the first inning. In the top of the second, Barton was able to put runners on first and second but could not bring a run across the plate.
The bottom of the second saw Francis Marion score 10 runs on 10 hits with one Bulldog error, highlighted by a three-run home run from Randy Loew and a two-run shot over the right field fence by JD Crowe.
The Bulldogs began the top half of the third with back-to-back singles from redshirt-junior Michael DelSardo and sophomore Tyler Garrett. After a strikeout, the runners would each advance 90 feet before the second consecutive wild pitch allowed DelSardo to score from third for Barton's only run of the contest.
Francis Marion was held to just two hits in the third through sixth innings of play, but the nine-run lead was too much for the Bulldog offense to overcome.
Junior Ricky Jernigan (0-2) suffered his second loss of the season after allowing eight runs on seven hits in 1.1 innings on the mound. Sophomore Kerry Walker allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with a strikeout in 2.2 Innings of relief, as freshman Paschal Ammons allowed just one hit with a strikeout in the final two innings of the game.
Sophomore Blake Spangenberg was 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk, while Garrett finished the game 2-for-3 in the loss.
Game Two: Francis Marion 13 Barton 5 (Seven inn.)
In the second game of the day, both teams provided more offensive production but the Bulldogs were forced to use six pitchers in a 13-5 loss.
Freshman Trent Fennell (0-3) was chased after just 1.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on two hits with four walks in his fourth start of the season.
The Patriot offense scored at least one run in each inning of play, building an early 5-0 lead over the game's first three innings before Barton was able to get on the scoreboard.
In the top half of the fourth, redshirt-junior Matthew Berry and sophomore Jacob Willis reached on back-to-back singles as a throwing error by the Patriot pitcher allowed Spangenberg to reach first and load the bases. The next batter struck out swinging before an RBI double from freshman Hunter Pearre down the left field line scored two to cut the deficit to 5-2.
However, five runs in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the fifth put Francis Marion ahead 12-2 over Barton with just two innings remaining.
The Bulldogs continue to fight, adding three runs on three hits in the top of the sixth. Despite the first two batters of the inning being unable to reach base, Spangenberg singled up the middle followed by an error that allowed junior Ben Williams to reach first to put runners on for Pearre. The freshman delivered once again with an RBI single to score one run, advancing to second on the throw, before senior Mitchell Wheeler singled up the middle to clear the bases and make the score 12-5 in favor of the Patriots.
Francis Marion scored once more in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to center field, clinching the eight-run victory on their home field.
Freshman Andrew Davis, appearing in his sixth game of the season, allowed four runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of relief, as fellow freshman Josh Mims pitched 1/3 of an inning, allowing two runs on two hits with two walks.
Senior Zach Breen struck out a batter and walked a batter in 2/3 of an inning, while fellow senior Jackson Pardue allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Senior Mike Brienza pitched the final inning of relief for the Bulldogs, allowing one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Pearre was the star of game two for Barton, finishing 3-for-3 with a double, a run scored and three RBI in the second start of his career. Wheeler was 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI of his own, while Spangenberg and Willis each finished the game 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Barton will return home for a three-game series with provisional Conference Carolinas member Southern Wesleyan University over the weekend. The Bulldogs and Warriors are set to square off in a doubleheader on Friday, April 3 at 5 p.m. at Fleming Stadium in Wilson with a single game scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time on Saturday.
