DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (4-7, 3-0 CC) defeated Ferrum College (1-4, 0-3 CC) in both games of a doubleheader to finish a series sweep of Ferrum in the Fleet's opening weekend of conference play at Grier Field on Saturday.

The Fleet got excellent outings on the mound from Chase Grube and Kendall Brewer, as well as a pair of RBIs from Ricky Dober to take the first game, 3-1. In the series finale, the Fleet overcome an early deficit with Pierce Radke and Mason McManus delivering the game-tying and eventual game-winning hits, respectively, to win it 9-5.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Erskine 3-1 Ferrum (Final / 7 innings)
Fresh off a walk-off win in the opener on Friday, Ricky Dober kept the Fleet's momentum rolling into Saturday with a solo home run in the second inning to open the scoring and then added an RBI single in the next frame. Mason McManus followed moments after with a run-scoring hit of his own to give Erskine a 3-0 lead after three innings. On the mound, Chase Grube surrendered an unearned run but nothing more, as he pitched into the fifth inning, earning his first win in an Erskine uniform. Kendall Brewer followed Grube on the mound and slammed the door shut with two and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit striking out five of the ten batters he faced, picking up the Fleet's first save of the season as the duo of Grube and Brewer stole the show in the opener.

Game 2: Erskine 9-5 Ferrum
In the series finale, the visiting Panthers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Erskine wasted no time getting back into the game, with Drew Potts and Jacob Platt each scoring in the bottom half as the Fleet capitalized on mistakes to get within a run. Ferrum added a run to its lead in the third, but the Fleet offense came roaring to life in the fifth. Base hits from Gio Lopez and Platt in between Potts being hit by a pitch loaded the bases for Pierce Radke, who delivered a game-tying two-run knock. After Ricky Dober followed with another base hit, Mason McManus gave the Fleet their first lead of the game with an RBI single. Erskine was unable to add to its lead in the fifth, but after an easy inning from Nick Fraginals, Platt doubled home another run, making it 6-4 after six innings. Ferrum got within a run again in the seventh, but a two-run double by Dober and a sacrifice fly from McManus gave the Fleet some breathing run for the ninth. A combination of Ethan Wilford and Jared Guell recorded the final three outs of the game to seal a 9-5 win and a series sweep for the Fleet to begin Conference Carolinas play.

THE PLAYER
Ricky Dober led the Fleet offense on Saturday, going 4-for-7 at the plate with a pair of multi-hit games. Dober had a double and a home run, driving in a combined five runs in the middle of the Fleet's order to help them to a pair of wins.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine continues its nine-game home stand with a mid-week battle against Newberry College (6-4, 3-0 SAC) on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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