FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-24-01

College Baseball: Francis Marion 5-4, No. 26 Armstrong Atlantic State 4-2

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Fletcher Kemp's complete-game perfomance, limiting the Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates to just one earned run in seven innings in a 4-2 win, gave the Francis Marion University Patriots a doubleheader sweep in Peach Belt Conference baseball action on Saturday. Francis Marion won the first game of the doubleheader, 5-4.

The Patriots (7-6, 4-4 PBC) took a quick 3-0 lead in game number two, sparked by Kyle Pope's two-run double that hit on the baseline in left field. The Pirates (9-5, 4-4 PBC) closed the gap to 3-2, but Francis Marion added an insurance run in the top of the fifth. AASU then had two chances to tie as they loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth inning but could not score, then had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh but Kemp induced Matt Easterwood into a game-ending double play.

Kemp (4-0) scattered nine hits and gave up two runs, one earned, to pick up the victory. AASU starter Adam Olejniczak (1-1)gave up four runs, three earned, in four innings and took the loss.

In the first game, the Patriots led the Pirates, 4-1, but AASU rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 4-all. Francis Marion then loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning and scored the winning run on a Chris Boaen error. Nat Stoner (1-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief, striking out three, to pick up the win for FMU. Andrew Moss (2-1) gave up the unearned run in the eighth to suffer his first loss of the year.

Kyle Pope went 3-for-7 with three RBI and Jerry Honeycutt went 3-for-6 to lead the Patriots offensively. For AASU, Trevor Rurak, Kirk Nordness and Chris Boaen all had three hits in the doubleheader.

The Pirates and the Patriots will play game number three of their Peach Belt Conference series tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -