Francis Marion Rallies Over Catawba; USC Aiken Knocks Out Tusculum From NCAA Baseball Tournament

AIKEN, SC -- Francis Marion overcame an early 5-0 deficit to remain unbeaten at the 2009 NCAA II Southeast Region Baseball Tournament on Friday night at Roberto Hernandez Stadium on the campus of USC Aiken with an 11-7 victory over fourth-seeded Catawba. The seventh-ranked and second-seeded Patriots extend their winning streak to 17 games and improve to 38-13-1. The Catawba Indians, ranked 21st, fall to 36-17 and will play USC Aiken in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. FMU will face Belmont Abbey on Saturday morning in the winners bracket final.

Down 5-3, the Patriots struck for four runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Catawba got a run back in its fifth on a run-scoring double by Kevin McMillan (Salisbury, NC/N. Rowan HS), but Preston Shuey added to the FMU lead in the sixth with a key two-out, three-run double as the Patriots went on top 11-6.

Ryan Query (Kannapolis, NC/Brown HS) accounted for the lone remaining run with a solo home run in the ninth for his 20th round-tripper of the season. After Catawba chased FMU starter David Walters in the second, Brandon Forschee limited the Indians to just one run on three hits over six and a third innings.

In the Tribe second, Cameron White (Columbia, SC/Ridge View HS) got the big inning going with a one-out, solo home run. Zeb Link (Woodleaf, NC/W. Rowan HS) followed with a bunt single and Corey Parker (Kernersville, NC/Glenn HS) reached on an error. Craige Lylery (Salisbury, NC/E. Rowan) singled home a run with single that gave the junior a hit in a school-record 34th straight game.

Brian Hatley (Salisbury, NC/W. Rowan HS) and Query followed with RBI singles to chase Walters. McMillan drove home the final run of the frame with just on of the three hits off Forschee.

Alex Fairweather (Lenoir, NC/W. Caldwell HS) pitched into the fifth for Catawba, but left after a RBI double by Jared Barkdoll trimmed the lead to 5-4. The senior allowed just three hits, but walked five.

USC Aiken 9, Tusculum 2

AIKEN, S.C. --- Steven Spire pitched a completed game effort as top-seeded USC Aiken defeated No. 5 seed Tusculum College 9-2 Friday in an elimination game of the NCAA Division II Southeast Baseball Regional at Hernandez Stadium on the USCA campus.

The fifth-ranked Pacers (40-18) advance to an elimination game on Saturday afternoon against an opponent to be determined. The Pioneers end their season at 36-18.

The visiting team in the game, USC Aiken jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first three innings. Travis Howard drove in the first two runs of the game with his two-run single, for his 101st and 102nd RBI of the season.

In the second, Alex Franklin connected on a two-run homer that barely cleared the left field wall off of South Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Year C.J. Hillyer. After a walk, TC reliever Rob Currie came in for Hillyer and got Howard to fly out to end the inning.

The Pacers manufactured another run in the top of the third via Jamie Benjamin with his single up the middle to get on base. Benjamin stole second to get in scoring position and later moved to third on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt. Gary Asbill swung at a third strike, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing Benjamin to score and give the Pacers a 5-0 lead.

After Sean Finucane scored in the bottom of the fifth for Tusculum's first run of the game, USC

Tusculum scored its first run of the day when Sean Finucane led off with a single and moved to third on Richmond's 14th double of the season to put runners in scoring position at second and third. Sean Cotten reached on a fielder's choice as Richmond was thrown out at third, allowing Finucane to score. Paul Finger singled to move Cotten to second base with one out. But Matt Ford lined out to the third baseman and Cotten was doubled up at second to end the inning as TC trailed 5-1.

USC Aiken got the run back in the sixth inning as the Pacers capitalized on another TC error when Franklin led off with a double and scored on a two-base miscue off the glove of Jared Richmond.

The Pioneers down 6-1, cut the Pacer lead down by one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Aaron Hudgins scored from third on a throwing error by Howard. The Pioneers would threaten once again in the bottom of the seventh inning, but with the bases loaded and two outs, Spire struck out rookie Tyler Collins to end the inning.

USC Aiken added two runs in the eighth inning and Spire retired six of the final batters he would face to improve to 7-2. It was his second complete game of the season as he threw 150 pitches as he walked two and posted five strikeouts.

The Pacers finished with 15 hits, including a 4-for-5 effort by Franklin who came a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Tusculum accounted for nine hits, led by Finucane's 3-for-5 effort. Finger also had a multi-hit outing with his 2-for-5 showing.