CSU downs Patriots 6-1 to capture PBC baseball series

FLORENCE, S.C. — Junior leadoff man Alex Montes chopped a two-run infield single in the top of the fourth inning to help Columbus State University to a 6-1 win over 15th-ranked Francis Marion University, Sunday afternoon (March 22) and to a series win in the three-game Peach Belt Conference baseball weekend set.

FMU falls to 19-10-1 overall and 7-6 in the PBC, while CSU (17-11, 7-4) climbs to within a half-game of the conference lead.

FMU plays a PBC doubleheader at North Georgia College & State University on Saturday at 1 p.m. Columbus State entertains Faulkner University on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

CSU righty starter Anthony Arrington (2-1) held Francis Marion to one run on nine hits in seven innings of work. Senior Blake Norrell finished the contest with two scoreless innings.

FMU junior right-hander Erik Sommerville (3-2) was tagged with the loss as he allowed four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.

Both teams rapped out 10 hits, but the Patriots stranded 14 base runners, including the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning. Altogether in the three-game series, FMU left 35 runners on bases.

Francis Marion sophomore first baseman Preston Shuey was 3-for-4 and drove in FMU’s lone run in the fourth inning with a single through the left side. Senior catcher Jared Barkdoll was 2-for-4 and junior outfielder Alex Lee was 2-for-3.

CSU shortstop Eric Skinner was 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while right fielder Brad Bowen was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in.

Bowen’s RBI-single through the left side gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the second. CSU plated three runs in the fourth frame, the first two coming without the ball leaving the infield. A walk, a balk, an infield single, and a stolen base set the stage for Montes’ key hit that upped the margin to 3-0. He bounced the ball between first and second base where it was partially smothered by the diving second baseman. However, because the first baseman ranged off the bag, there was no play at first and when the ball squirted away, both runners scored.

A single to center by Skinner later scored Montes with the third run of the inning.

After Francis Marion trimmed the margin to 4-1, Montes drove in a run with an infield grounder in the sixth, and Brian Gordon delivered a run-scoring single to right center in the ninth to account for the final CSU run.


Michael G. Hawkins