Francis Marion baseball stayed perfect over the weekend, taking all three games of their home series against Emory & Henry to improve to 7-0 to start the 2025 campaign. The Patriots, behind explosive hitting and clutch pitching, matched their best start since 2017 and showed off both power and resilience in their latest sweep.

Petersen Delivers Five-RBI Night as Patriots Take Game One

Senior shortstop Rayth Petersen got the Patriots going early in the weekend, putting together one of the most productive games of his career. Petersen drove in five runs in the series opener, including a no-doubt solo homer in the bottom of the first to immediately even the score after an early FMU error gave Emory & Henry a brief lead.

It didn’t take long for FMU to break things open. After falling behind again in the sixth inning, the Patriots answered with a four-run bottom half of the frame. With the bases loaded and two outs, Petersen cleared them with a clutch single to right-center that gave the Patriots a lead they wouldn’t lose. He added an insurance run with an RBI single in the eighth to close out his five-RBI night.

Sophomore first baseman Charlie Bussey III stayed hot with a 2-for-3 showing and a run scored. Behind him, junior catcher Dariel Villaran Goundis added a key single, a stolen base, and eventually scored on a throwing error that helped FMU keep pace early.

Left-handed starter Rijnaldo Euson picked up his second win of the year, going six innings with seven strikeouts despite allowing four runs. Senior reliever Josh Adams came on in the seventh and shut things down, tossing 2.2 innings of hitless relief and stranding three Wasps in the seventh to earn his second save of the year.

Walk-Off Magic Caps Doubleheader Sweep in Saturday Thriller

FMU kept the momentum rolling in Saturday’s doubleheader, but not without some drama. The Patriots opened the day with a 7-4 win in game one and followed it with a walk-off 5-4 victory in game two, thanks to more late-game heroics from Petersen.

In the opener, Emory & Henry struck first with two runs in the top of the first, but it didn’t take long for the Patriots to respond. Petersen and junior center fielder Will Dorrell each singled to set the table for senior right fielder Austin Bunn, who crushed a three-run homer to left to put FMU in front. Senior second baseman Owen Taylor kept the pressure on with a hit and a stolen base, scoring on a Hunter Looper RBI single to make it 4-2.

After Emory & Henry tied it back up, FMU answered again. Bunn doubled and came around on a Bussey III sac fly. Two more runs came across in the sixth—one on a wild pitch, the other on another sac fly from Looper.

Junior right-hander Robbie Jordan, continuing his comeback season, struck out nine over five innings and picked up the win. Petersen returned to the mound to record the final six outs and his first save of the year. Petersen, Bunn, Taylor, and Looper all tallied two hits in the win.

Game Two Ends in Chaos—and a Patriots Walk-Off

The nightcap was the tightest of the series and delivered the most dramatic finish. Petersen once again played the hero, lining a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give FMU the 5-4 walk-off win and the series sweep.

The Wasps got on the board first and held a lead into the second, when Taylor responded with a solo shot to left to tie the game. Emory & Henry added runs in the third and fifth, but each time the Patriots had an answer. Bussey III tripled in the fourth and scored on a Caleb Oakley single to even things at 2-2, and Jimmy Koza came through with an RBI triple in the sixth to tie it at 3-3 again.

A solo home run from Emory & Henry shortstop Steven Smith in the top of the ninth put the Patriots down to their final three outs, but they didn’t blink. Oakley led off the inning with a single, and a bunt attempt by Koza turned into a two-on, no-out situation after a throwing error. Taylor was walked intentionally to load the bases, setting up a pressure-packed moment. After two straight strikeouts, Petersen stepped up and delivered the game-winner—lining the first pitch he saw into right field to plate both Oakley and Koza.

Oakley and Bussey III both picked up two hits in the game. Freshman lefty Jackson Madden earned his first collegiate win after throwing 3.2 innings in relief, allowing just one run while striking out three.