Sunday, April 22, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, Assistant Sports Information Director

FRANCIS MARION SCORES TWO IN EIGHTH FOR VICTORY
Saints host West Georgia on Tuesday afternoon, will honor Cantrell

DAHLONEGA, Ga – North Georgia College & State University and Francis Marion University turned game three of their Peach Belt Conference series into a slugfest on a warm Sunday afternoon. The Patriots and Saints exchanged runs most of the afternoon, with Francis Marion striking the final blow, claiming the series with an 8-7 victory over the Saints.

The Saints jumped on top in the opening inning with a two-out single off the bat of Anders Oster to bring Josh Tate and Justin Rickett to the plate for an early 2-0 lead. The Patriots came right back in the second got one of the runs back with some two-out damage. Ryan Hewitt started it with a double off the fence in left-center, and Greg Phelps grounded out to second, but an error by Oster allowed Hewitt to come around to score and cut the lead to one at 2-1.

In the fourth, Nick Stewart tied it up on a two-out homer down the left field line to make it a 2-2 game. The Saints took the lead once again in the fifth thanks to a Patriot miscue. With two on and no outs Tate dropped down a bunt to the pitcher who looked to force Brisson at third but through it away and everyone was safe. Brisson raced home on the play to make it a 3-2 game and Creston Warner followed with a single to left to bring Airich and Tate to the plate to cap a three-run fifth and take a 5-2 lead.    

In the sixth, the Patriots played long ball once again with their second solo shot of the day, this time a blast off the bat of Michael Ward to make it a 5-3 game. Francis Marion would add a second run in the inning off another two out hit from Greg Phelps to bring Stewart home and the cut the lead to a 5-4 Saints advantage. Chris Hutto then came to the plate delivered a two-run double to right-center and Patriots took their first lead of the day 6-5 with a four run sixth.

In the last of the sixth the Saints were facing their first deficit of the day and responded well with a two out hit from Tate to bring Daniel Petitti racing home from second for a 6-6 tie. The seesaw affair continued into the eighth where the Patriots took the lead once again, this time on a two out double to right-center off the bat of Jared Barkdoll to bring two runs across home plate and give the visitors a 8-6 lead. 

The Saints scored a run in eighth but were unable to mount a comeback in the ninth in the series finale.

North Georgia (27-20, 12-12 PBC) returns to action on Tuesday hosting West Georgia at 4 pm.

-NGCSU-

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