PEMBROKE – The 30th-ranked UNC Pembroke baseball team scored 16 runs in the first four innings, including eight in the first inning alone, on the way to a series-clinching 21-8 victory over Francis Marion on Sunday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.

The triumph gave the Braves (29-10, 15-9 PBC) their fifth league series victory of the season and their third-straight series victory over Francis Marion (24-14, 12-10). The scoring output established a new school record for runs scored against a Peach Belt Conference opponent.

Drew Cole (2 RBI) and Collins Cuthrell (4 RBI) each hit home runs to key 4-for-5 days at the plate, while Cody Adkins tripled and scored twice on a 4-for-5 outing as well. Chad Whitehead drove in three runs and scored thrice on a 3-for-6 hitting line. Dalton Knight (2-for-5, 2 R) and Zade Denton (2-for-4, 4 RBI) each turned in two-hit days for the hosts.

Casey Clauss and J.D. Crowe each scored three times on 3-for-5 showings to pace the Patriots.

Zach Andrews (4-0) posted a win in his first start of the season for the Black & Gold after striking out four in five innings of work. Brandon Cook (1-2) registered just one out from the hill for Francis Marion and saddled the loss after yielding seven runs (five earned) on three hits, a pair of walks and one hit by pitch.

Matt Rubino drove in two runs on a two-out single in the top of the first to help the Patriots draw first blood, but UNCP sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the frame and scored eight times on six hits, two walks, a bean ball and an ill-timed fielding error. The Braves led 16-2 by the end of the fourth after tacking up four more runs in both the second and fourth innings.

UNCP will close out a four-game home stand on Tuesday with a 6 p.m. matchup against Barton (17-23) at Sammy Cox Field.