PBC Baseball Daily Update - May 5

FLORENCE, SC – Senior center fielder Buddy Sosnoskie celebrated Senior Night with a 4-for-4 effort that included the Patriots’ first home run in their new stadium as sixth-ranked Francis Marion University defeated Winston-Salem State University 4-1, Saturday evening (May 5) in non-conference baseball action.

The Patriots (34-14) have won 22 of their last 27 contests.  The game was a tune-up for FMU following a two-week break for exams.  The Patriots will face Columbus State University in the first round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.  The double-elimination tournament is being hosted at Golden Park, a minor league stadium in Columbus, Ga.

Winston-Salem State falls to 34-19 and will now await the announcement of the NCAA Division II Tournament field next weekend as the Rams are the champions of the CIAA.

Prior to the game, Francis Marion recognized 11 seniors on its 2012 roster.  With the victory, the Patriots equal their school record for wins in a four-year period at 153.

FMU head coach Art Inabinet used six pitchers in an effort to get some game action after the layoff.  Junior right-hander Spencer Jordan (9-3) earned the win with two scoreless innings, while sophomore righty Jeffrey Stoner pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his seventh save of 2012.

Rams’ starter Sheldon Johnson (4-5) pitched six innings and surrendered two runs on seven hits.

Sosnoskie registered his third four-hit game of the season.  He hit his first homer of the year – and the team’s initial long ball at the new Cormell Field at Sparrow Stadium – a 360-foot drive to right field to lead off the bottom of the second inning.

The advantage doubled to 2-0 in the last of the third when designated hitter Luke Tollison walked, moved to third on Jacob Golliday’s double to left center, and scored on senior Tyler Boyd’s RBI-ground out.

Winston-Salem State trimmed the margin to 2-1 in the top of the seventh when outfielder Brandon Harrison singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI ground out by catcher Michael Robbins.  Robbins had a productive day behind the plate as well, twice throwing out FMU runners attempting to steal and picking another runner off first base.

The Patriots quickly responded in the bottom of the seventh as Boyd scored on Sosnoskie’s single through the left side.  Following a pitching change, senior second baseman Brock McCallister scored FMU’s fourth run on a wild pitch.

FMU pitchers managed to contain the Rams’ potent duo of Aaron Jones and German Reyes, who entered the game ranked third and fourth nationally in hitting.  Jones finished 0-for-4, while Reyes was 1-for-4 with an infield single.