AMERICUS - Georgia Southwestern junior pitcher Kyle Spinks struck out a career-high 10 batters and scattered three hits over 7 2/3 innings Friday evening at Hurricane Stadium to guide GSW to an 8-1 win over No. 9 Francis Marion University.
The Hurricanes have won three of their last four games and improved to 8-12 overall, 3-4 in the Peach Belt Conference this spring while Francis Marion suffered only its third loss of the season to fall to 18-3, 2-2 in the PBC.
GSW produced all the runs they would need in the third inning with a two-out rally that started with a single from Jonathan Martin. Following a pair of walks, Will Redding delivered a two-run single to center that brought home Martin and Alex Kranick.
Martin struck again in the seventh inning with a two-run double to score Dakota Long and Andy Moore. Kranick plated Martin with a single on the next GSW at bat. The Hurricanes finished the seventh with a total of five runs off four hits and a pair of Francis Marion errors.
Martin brought in the final run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.
Martin led the Hurricanes with three hits and three RBIs. Redding and Evan Alderman collected two hits apiece.
Spinks (1-2) held the Patriots to one run over 137 pitches. Matt Hubbard pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, allowed three hits and struck out one.
Francis Marion starting pitcher Chance Ducharme (2-1) walked two and struck out five while surrendering eight hits and six runs, four of which were earned, before exiting. Ducharme had allowed a total of six runs over his previous six starts combined. Adam Hornstra was charged with an unearned run over his 2/3 of an inning in relief and Connor Pate pitched the final inning for the Patriots, walking two and allowing the evening's final run.
The series concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.
