Long-Range Artillery lifts Patriots over Lander 9-2

GREENWOOD, SC – For the second time in less than a week, senior shortstop Barrett Kleinknecht homered twice to lead 14th-ranked Francis Marion University to a 9-2 road win at Lander University, Friday night (April 2) in the Peach Belt Conference baseball action at Legion Field.

Francis Marion (26-8, 8-5 PBC) and Lander (19-12, 4-9) will conclude their series with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.

In addition to Kleinknecht, the entire Patriot outfield went deep with seniors Josh Smith, Trent Knight, and Alex Lee all hitting solo homers.

Kleinknecht, who homered twice in Sunday’s win at Augusta State University, also doubled in a run in the top of the first and finished the game 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs.

Junior third baseman Tyler Cappelmann, Smith, and Knight all collected two hits as the Patriots totaled 12 safeties.

Senior left-hander Josh Edgin (6-2) won his fourth straight PBC decision with his fourth consecutive strong outing.  He allowed only seven hits, while fanning eight in eight-plus innings.  He did not allow a hit until the fifth, when Lander scored its two runs. Senior righty Erik Sommerville recorded the final three outs.

Leading 1-0, the Patriots added two runs in the second when Smith hit a lead-off homer over the right-field fence and Knight followed with a solo shot over the left-field fence. It was Smith's second homer of the season and Knight's fourth.

Kleinknecht belted FMU's third homer of the game in the third, a drive to left that upped the margin to 4-0.

After Lander climbed to within 4-2, Francis Marion responded with three runs in the top of the sixth. Knight and Logan Bland both singled and  Josh Biggers plated Knight with an RBI ground out, followed by Bland scoring all the way from second on a wild pitch. Lee capped the inning with the team's fourth homer of the game, a shot down the left-field line. It was Lee's fifth homer of the year.

Lander loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Edgin got out of the jam.

The Patriots added two runs in the ninth on Kleinknecht's second homer of the game, a two-run shot over the fence in center, his ninth long-ball of the season.

Cory Hopper (3-2) took the loss for Lander, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking one in 5.2 innings.

 

#14 Francis Marion 9, Lander University 2 (Apr 02, 2010 at Greenwood, S.C.)