Roberts' RBI Double Gives Pirates 7-6 Win Over No. 21 Francis Marion

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Freshman John Roberts' two-out RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning snapped a 6-all tie and gave the Armstrong Atlantic State baseball squad a 7-6 Peach Belt Conference victory over No. 21 Francis Marion on Monday afternoon, salvaging a game of the three-game series with the Patriots.

The Pirates (7-8, 1-5 PBC) halted a five-game winless streak with the victory. Francis Marion (10-6-1, 4-2 PBC) outhit AASU for a third straight game, but committed three errors on the day, including one costly error in the second inning.

Bryan Roby led off the second inning for AASU by reaching on a fielding error by Patriots third baseman Keon Graves. Starting pitcher Jeremiah Meiners retired the next two batters, but an RBI single by Michael Price drove in the first run. Josh Wilson followed with an RBI single and Juan Dorado knocked a two-RBI triple to center field. Alex Wyche's RBI single then capped the five-run frame, with all five runs unearned.

Francis Marion got on the board in the top of the fourth against AASU starter Thomas Gray as Jacob Wallace and Taylor Norfleet hit back-to-back solo home runs to lead off the inning. The Pirates got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on a suicide squeeze by Roberts, scoring Roby, but Francis Marion plated a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Tyler Boyd.

The Patriots came all the way back with three runs in the top of the seventh. Trent Knight led off the inning with a pinch hit home run, then Wallace singled home Barrett Kleinknecht and Norfleet doubled in Wallace with the tying run, making the score 6-6.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kenny Cail drew a leadoff walk from Patriot reliever Brandon Forshee. A one-out sacrifice by Drew Carnes moved Cail to second, then Roberts lofted a double to right field, scoring Cail with the go-ahead run.

Center fielder Michael Price made a pair of game-saving plays in the eighth inning for the Pirates, robbing Boyd of extra bases with a running catch against the fence, then throwing out Preston Shuey at the plate on a single by Colby Green when Shuey attempted to score from second. 

AASU reliever Ryan Smith (2-0) then worked a hitless ninth, capping three innings of relief work to pick up the win for the Pirates. Smith gave up five hits and two runs, striking out three, while Forshee (2-1) was saddled with the loss for Francis Marion, giving up one hit and one run in three innings pitched, walking two and striking out three.

Alex Wyche led the Pirates offensively with a pair of hits, while Roberts finished his day 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Wallace led the Patriots with a 3-for-5 day, scoring three runs and driving in a pair. 

The Pirates return to action on Tuesday, March 3, with their opener in the 2009 Savannah Invitational, facing Findlay at 2:00 p.m. at Pirate Field.