FLORENCE, S.C. – Catcher Michael Ward hit a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop that plated Jason Weaver with the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift 16th-ranked Francis Marion University to a 3-2 victory over Lander University, Monday afternoon (Feb. 27) in the final game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series.

FMU improves to 11-4 overall and 3-0 in the PBC, while Lander falls to 7-6 and 0-3.

Francis Marion senior lefty Ryan Ariail (2-0) pitched 3.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win, while Lander right-hander Brad Hay (0-1) was tagged with the loss.

Weaver reached base and advanced to second on a throwing error by Lander shortstop Radley Raven to lead off the 11th frame.  Justin Greene bunted Weaver over to third.  The Bearcats then walked the next two Patriot batters intentionally to load the bases with one out.  Ward then hit a grounder that the drawn-in Raven speared with a head-first dive, but Weaver beat the throw to home plate with the winning score.

Despite being held hitless for 6.1 innings, Lander took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning when Bearcat center fielder Jonathan Myers scored on a wild pitch.  FMU responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Patriot junior Nick Stewart scored on a fielding error by the Lander right fielder, and Ward blooped an RBI-single down the fight field line to score freshman Taylor Norfleet.

Lander evened the score at 2-2 in the eighth inning when Gabe McCann came home on an RBI-groundout by Myers.

FMU starter Brandon White fanned seven Lander hitters while holding the Bearcats hitless into the seventh frame.

No player in the contest had multiple hits as each squad only managed four hits apiece.