GASTONIA, N.C. – The Barton baseball team (30-20) saw its tournament run come to an end with a 15-8 loss to Francis Marion (28-24) Saturday afternoon in an elimination game at the 2023 Conference Carolinas Championship at CaroMont Health Park.
The Patriots, the sixth seed in the tournament, will immediately play third-seeded and No. 19 UNC Pembroke (38-13) at 7:00 p.m. The Bulldogs were the second seed in the tournament.
Barton junior outfielder
Raymond Paniagua (Blue Springs, Mo.) hit a two-run home run in the second inning while freshman second baseman
Salvatore Laimo (Philadelphia, Pa.) connected on a grand slam in the third frame as the Bulldogs raced to an 8-3 advantage in the middle of the third inning.
However, the Patriots responded by scoring the final 12 runs of the contest to remain alive. Francis Marion's Tanner Wakefield (Gainesville, Ga.) broke an eight-all tie with the two-run, game-winning single in the sixth frame while the Patriots' Charlie Bussey, III (Graniteville, S.C.) rounded out the scoring with a grand slam in the eighth inning.
On the mound, Francis Marion's Ben Thornton (Greer, S.C.) (4-2) did not allow a run in the final three and two-third innings pitched to earn the victory while
Brett Anderson (Milford, N.H.) (4-2) suffered the loss for Barton.
