#11 Patriots sweep defending national champs

MOUNT OLIVE, NC – The left side of the Francis Marion University infield combined for six hits and eight runs batted in as the 11th-ranked Patriots beat Mount Olive College 11-8, and then the right side added three hits and two RBIs in a game-two 5-2 victory to complete a doubleheader sweep of the NCAA Division II defending national champs, Wednesday evening (March 11).

Francis Marion improves to 17-7-1 as the Patriots have won seven of their last eight games, while Mount Olive drops to 14-12.

FMU will play a three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Lander University this weekend, beginning with a single game on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Senior third baseman Keon Graves and junior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht each had three hits and drove in four runs in the opener. Graves also added his fourth homer of the year. Both Jared Barkdoll and Tyler Boyd added two hits to the FMU attack.

Trailing 3-2 after the first inning, Francis Marion exploded for seven runs in the top of the second.

Freshman righty Jarrott Hooks (2-0) picked up the game-one win, while Brandon Forshee earned his first save by pitching the final four frames.

In game two, sophomore first baseman Preston Shuey went 2-for-3, scored once, and drove in a pair of runs. Graves added two more hits and a run scored in the second contest.

Southpaw Cory Deering (1-0) gained his first win of 2009, while right-hander Erik Sommerville recorded the final two outs, stranding three runners on base, to earn his first save.

FMU scored three times in the fourth inning to go ahead 4-0 with Shuey stroking a two-run double and Boyd lining an RBI single to right.

Michael G. Hawkins