PEMBROKE – Home-standing and 11th-ranked UNCP pounded out 17 hits, including one double and trio of home runs, and registered five multi-run innings en route to a 12-4 win over Francis Marion in the front half of a series-opening doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.

The triumph gave the Braves (27-9, 15-7 PBC) consecutive victories over the Patriots for the first time in 11 years, while also helping UNCP improve to 16-6 in Pembroke this season. The setback snapped a three-game winning streak for Francis Marion (17-14, 10-8).

The Black &  Gold got 3-hit days from four different players, including sophomore Zade Denton who homered and drove in four runs on a 3-for-4 plate tally. Drew Cole turned in his third home run of the season to highlight a 3-for-5 hitting line, while Drew Alford turned in a 3-for-5 performance as well. Ben Schmucker scored three times on a 3-for-5 day at the plate, while Brett Huffman homered for the fourth time this season to earmark a 2-for-5 showing.

Francis Marion got 2-for-5 outings from both Jarrod Reed (2 RBI) and Will Chandler in the loss.

Connor Pratt (2-2) made good on his second start in three days, this time picking up the win after scattering seven hits and four runs (three earned) across six innings from the hill. He also struck out two. Don Sandifer (3-4) saddled the loss for the Patriots after yielding nine runs (six earned) on 12 hits and a pair of walks in 5-1/3 innings of work.

UNCP took a first-inning lead on RBI singles from both Huffman and Denton, but Francis Marion utilized two hits and an ill-timed throwing error in the top of the second to knot things back up. The momentum would be short-lived, however, as the Black & Gold responded with two runs in the second and three more in the third to, inevitably, put the game away.

The Patriots cut into a 7-2 deficit with lone runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Braves got home runs from both Huffman and Cole to key a 3-run sixth inning, and then added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on RBI knocks from Denton and Alford.

To watch the full game click PART 1 or PART 2.