AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern baseball team was swept by Francis Marion University in a three-game series over the weekend. Francis Marion picked up 8-4 and 15-2 wins on Saturday before completing the series sweep on Sunday with an 11-3 victory.
The Hurricanes have lost four games in a row and finish the weekend at 5-12 overall and 2-6 in Peach Belt Conference play. Francis Marion sits at 8-5 overall and 4-2 in the PBC.
SUNDAY: GSW 3, FRANCIS MARION 11
The Hurricanes finished with more hits than FMU (10-8), but was doomed by 10 walks from the pitching staff, five of which came in the Patriots' four-run first inning.
FMU quickly pulled ahead 5-0 after adding a run in the second.
The Patriots tacked on six runs in the fourth behind three hits, two walks, two hit batters and an error.
GSW broke up the shutout in the seventh with a pair of runs on Michel Coffey's RBI single. Stephen Eldridge doubled to open the eighth inning for the Hurricanes and scored moments later when Kyle Nobles belted an RBI single to center.
Patriots starter Jeffrey Stoner (2-0) threw six scoreless innings and struck out nine while walking two. Austin Cox, Chance DuCharme and Trevor Hutto tossed an inning apiece out of the bullpen.
GSW starter Earl Dupree (0-3) threw 3 1/3 innings before making way for Dylan Folds, Bray Bishop and Justin Lott. The Hurricanes held FMU scoreless over the final 5 1/3 innings behind Bishop (two innings) and Lott (3 1/3 innings).
Michael Wilson finished 3-for-6 for FMU with a triple, two RBIs and 2 runs scored.
Coffey, John Duran and Josh Sanders had two hits apiece for GSW.
GAME 2 SATURDAY: GSW 2, FRANCIS MARION 15
Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader was a pitching duel until the seventh inning. That's when the wheels fell off for GSW.
Hurricane starter Matt Suggs (2-2) threw six innings of shutout ball up until FMU's rally. Suggs had struck out eight and held FMU to three hits.
The Patriots brought 12 batters to the plate in the seventh. Jacob Golliday highlighted the eight-run inning with a two-run home run.
Corey Benson put the Hurricanes on the board in the bottom half of the seventh when he curled a two-run shot around the left-field foul pole for his first home run of the season.
FMU quickly answered with five more runs in the eighth. The crushing blow came from a Will Chandler grand slam.
Stephen Tarkenton plated two runs in the ninth with his RBI single to round out the scoring.
Wilson, Tarkenton and Casey Gebhardt collected three hits apiece for FMU.
Don Sandifer (2-2) threw seven innings, allowed two runs and four hits, walked two and struck out six.
Chase Burnfin and Bishop came in from the pen for GSW to relieve Suggs.
GAME 1 SATURDAY: GSW 4, FRANCIS MARION 8
The Hurricanes fell behind 4-0 after FMU scored three runs in the second inning and a run in the fourth.
GSW cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Neal Chambless doubled to start the inning and eventually scored. Josh Sanders picked up an RBI with his fielder's choice that scored Benson.
FMU pushed across the deciding runs in the sixth, scoring three on four hits, and added another run in seventh.
Jarrod Taylor drove in a run in the seventh for GSW to make the score 8-3. Eldridge doubled in the ninth and scored Taylor for the 'Canes final run.
David DeWolfe turned in a 3-for-3 game for FMU. Wilson and Jacob Watson added two RBIs apiece.
Sanders collected three hits for GSW, drove in a run and scored a run.
Starter Gary Ashcraft (2-1) earned the win for FMU. Ashcraft threw 6 1/3 innings, allowed three runs and seven hits, walked three and struck out four. John Rossi threw 1 2/3 scoreless innnings and Brandon Stoots tossed the final frame.
Frank Ambrosino (0-3) took the loss for GSW. Ambrosino pitched six innings, allowed 11 hits and five earned runs, walked one and struck out two. Drew Cataldo threw the final three innings.
Southwestern returns to action on Wednesday with a non-conference tilt against Valdosta State. First pitch at Hurricane Stadium is set for 5 p.m.