DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (26-16, 11-11 CC) defeated Mars Hill University (11-35, 9-15 SAC) by a score of 9-3 at Grier Field on Wednesday afternoon. Josh Collett went the distance on the mound for the Fleet, allowing just one earned run and striking out a career-high 14 batters, while Christian Rivera totaled five RBIs to lead the Erskine offense.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Fleet cashed in a first-inning error from Mars Hill as Christian Rivera opened the scoring with a two-out RBI double to give Erskine a 1-0 lead. MHU tied the game in the third inning with a two-out RBI of their own, but the Fleet regained the lead shortly after. After stranding five runners in scoring position through the first three frames, Erskine took advantage of their opportunities in the fourth inning. Tariq Bacon led things off with a ringing double into the left center field gap, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Logan Piedra, before Jude Littrell drove in Bacon on a sacrifice fly to put Erskine back on top. Dale Francis, Jr. followed a Christian Rivera walk with a free pass of his own, scoring Juan Jaime as the Fleet led 3-1 after four innings. Josh Collett continued his outstanding afternoon on the mound through the middle innings, even after a couple of Erskine errors in the sixth made it a one-run game, Collett got a huge strikeout to help out his defense and strand the bases loaded. That would be the turning point in the game as the Fleet broke it wide open in the bottom half. Piedra reached on an error to start the frame, and then Littrell singled back up the middle to start the Fleet threat in the frame. Moments later, Francis, Jr. rifled an RBI double into the left center field gap, before Rivera delivered the punishing blow, a line-drive, three-run home run over the right center field fence as Erskine opened up a 7-2 lead. Piedra hit again in the sixth and worked a bases loaded walk, scoring Erskine's fifth run of the inning as they led 8-2 heading into the seventh. Collett set down the Lions in order with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the seventh, and Francis, Jr. put the cherry on top for the Fleet with a solo home run in the bottom half, his 13th big fly of the season. MHU scored an unearned run in the ninth, but Collett went the distance on the mound for a complete game victory with 14 strikeouts.

THE PLAYER
Josh Collett delivered his best outing on the mound as a member of the Flying Fleet, as he picked up a complete game victory, allowing just one earned run, no walks, and a career-best 14 strikeouts. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine returns to conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Southern Wesleyan University (13-29, 7-17 CC) that starts on Friday at 6 p.m. Erskine swept the Warriors at home last season, but lost 3 of 4 in their last trip to SWU, back in 2021.

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