WILSON, N.C. – The Barton baseball team (12-6, 7-2) split a Conference Carolinas doubleheader with Francis Marion (10-8, 3-6) Sunday afternoon at Nixon Field. The Patriots won the first contest by an 8-5 score while the Bulldogs walked off with a 13-12 win in the nightcap to salvage the split.
Game One – Francis Marion 8, Barton 5 (seven innings)
The Patriots' Darius Nobles (Greenville, N.C.) hit a pair of home runs including a three-run home run as part of a four-run third inning to lead the visitors to the win.
Clinging to a 6-5 advantage, Leniel Gonzalez (Sumter, S.C.) gave the Patriots some breathing room with a two-run round-tripper in the top of the sixth inning while Robbie Jordan (Florence, S.C.) (2-1) earned the win on the mound. Francis Marion's Nick Palumbo (Wayne, N.J.) pitched two scoreless innings for his fourth save of the year.
Barton sophomore outfielder
Carelle Gonzalez (Bridgeton, N.J.) and junior second baseman
Luke Chung (Seal Beach, Calif.) hit solo home runs in the losing effort. Senior
Jared Davis (Poquoson, Va.) fell to 3-2 after taking the loss for the Bulldogs.
Game Two – Barton 13, Francis Marion 12
Barton senior first baseman
Colby Warren (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) hit a walk-off run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning – scoring junior outfielder
Ryan McIsaac (Millville, N.J.) – as the Bulldogs were able to salvage the split.
Warren finished with four hits, three RBI and a solo home run while sophomore outfielder
Raymond Paniagua (Blue Springs, Mo.) added a three-run home run and five runs batted in to lead the Bulldogs.
Trailing by a 12-8 score, Francis Marion tied it with two outs in the top of the ninth inning with a grand slam by Will Hardee (Evergreen, S.C.). Nobles added two more home runs and Gonzalez hit another round-tripper for the Patriots in the losing effort.
Barton sophomore
Blake Forney (Greencastle, Pa.) (1-0) was credited with the win after registering the final Patriot out while Francis Marion's Blake Thornton (Greer, S.C.) (0-1) was tagged with the setback.
Barton faces California (Pa.) on Wednesday at Fleming Stadium beginning at 5:00 p.m., while Francis Marion hosts Coker next Friday night beginning at 6:00 p.m.
