Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
FLORENCE, S.C. – West Chester split its doubleheader at Francis Marion in a battle of seventh-ranked teams in the latest national polls. FMU took game one, 15-10, while WCU came back in the nightcap for a 12-5 decision.
West Chester (2-1) and Francis Marion (7-2) each entered the weekend three-game series ranked seventh in the country, along with Central Missouri, by Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
Freshman hurler Fred Breidenbach (1-0) picked up the win in the second game. He started and pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out one. Dave Stieg was credited with a save, pitching 3 2/3 innings of shutout ball in relief. He allowed four hits and struck out two. He did not walk a batter.
“Both pitchers did a real good job of hitting their spots and throwing inside,” WCU head coach Mark Jackson said.
Senior lefty Eric Carmichael (0-1) suffered the loss in the opener. Francis Marion scored nine runs in the second inning to jump out to an 11-3 lead. West Chester fought back with a solo shot from Charlie Kelly in the fifth inning. Two batters later, Stumpo hit a two-run homer to draw the Golden Rams to 11-5.
Kelly hit two home runs in the doubleheader, including a three-run shot in the first inning of game two that put West Chester on top early, 3-0, in that tilt. Kelly knocked in five runs in the nightcap to power West Chester to the win.
West Chester and Francis Marion will conclude their weekend three-game set on Sunday with one single game at noon.
