Francis Marion sweeps Senators on Diamond

FLORENCE, SC – Starting pitchers Jeremiah Meiners and Erik Sommerville combined to allow no earned runs in 14 innings as Francis Marion University swept a non-conference baseball doubleheader from Davis & Elkins College, 5-0 and 10-1, Saturday afternoon (Feb. 14) at Cormell Field.

Francis Marion improves to 5-3, while Davis & Elkins remains winless in five contests. The two squads will conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Meiners (2-0) blanked the Senators for seven innings on three hits in game one. He struck out six and walked only two.

FMU scored three runs in the second frame off losing pitcher Zach McElroy. Sophomore first baseman Preston Shuey plated two runs with a two-out triple to left field, and then came home to score on an RBI single by freshman designated hitter Austin Smetana.

Senior third baseman Keon Graves accounted for the other two Patriot runs with a two-out, two-run triple in the fifth inning.

Shuey and junior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht both finished 2-for-4, with both of Kleinknecht’s hits being doubles.

Designated hitter and leadoff batter Brock Watson (2-4) was the lone Senator with multiple hits.

In the second contest, Sommerville (1-0) limited Davis & Elkins to five hits and one unearned run in seven innings. He fanned seven and walked no one. Senator starter Josh Haun was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits in five innings.

FMU freshman left fielder Tyler Boyd went 4-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI. Kleinknecht (2-5) and junior second baseman Colby Green (2-4) both collected two hits, while junior outfielder Josh Smith and junior DH John Lewis Floyd both drove in two runs.

Shortstop Caigan O’Callahan went 2-for-4 for the Senators, who scored their lone run on an RBI-single by Watson in the top of the fifth inning. That hit tied the game at 1-1, but FMU erupted for four runs in the bottom of the frame.


GAME 1
Francis Marion Univ. 5, Davis & Elkins Coll. 0 (Feb 14, 2009 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Davis & Elkins Coll. 000 000 000 - 0 5 3 (0-4)
Francis Marion Univ. 030 020 00X - 5 11 1 (4-3)
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Pitchers: Davis & Elkins Coll. - Zach McElroy; Brent Windon (7). Francis Marion Univ. -
Jeremiah Meiners; Josh Biggers (8).
Win-Jeremiah Meiners (2-0) Loss-Zach McElroy T-2:30 A-80

GAME 2
Francis Marion Univ. 10, Davis & Elkins Coll. 1 (Feb 14, 2009 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Davis & Elkins Coll. 000 010 000 - 1 5 3 (0-5)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 041 31X - 10 15 1 (5-3)
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Pitchers: Davis & Elkins Coll. - Josh Haun; Cory Keesee (6); Will Bell (7); Nathan Smith (8);
Ryan Flanagan (8). Francis Marion Univ. - Erik Sommerville; Brandon Forshee (8); Drew Watcher (9).
Win-Erik Sommerville (1-0) Loss-Josh Haun T-2:30 A-0