DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (9-15, 7-5 CC) won two of three games in a weekend series against Southern Wesleyan University (7-15, 3-9 PBC) at Grier Field on Friday and Saturday.

The Fleet used a six-run third inning to pull away from SWU in the opener, 10-3, and then Carson Yates' walk-off single in the seventh inning of Game 2 sealed a 5-4 victory, before the Warriors' late rally in the series finale meant Erskine fell just short of a sweep.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Erskine 10-3 Southern Wesleyan
Despite Southern Wesleyan opening the scoring in the second, the Fleet quickly total control of the opening game of the weekend, aided by command issues on the mound for the visitors. After Mason McManus and Pierce Radke each tallied RBI singles to start the scoring in the third, Ricky Dober, Danny Villafane, and Jack Luthren each drew bases-loaded walks as part of a six-run third inning for the Fleet. Eric Santaguida pitched into the seventh on the mound as the Erskine starter, and a pair of scoreless frames from Nick Fraginals carried the Fleet bullpen, while home runs from Dober, Danny Villafane, and McManus helped the Fleet pull away for a Game 1 win.

Game 2: Erskine 5-4 Southern Wesleyan (Final / 7 innings)
The first game of the doubleheader on Saturday had chaos right out of the gates, with SWU posting a four-run top of the first inning, but the Fleet answering right back in the bottom half. Two-run singles from Danny Villafane and Carson Yates drew the Fleet immediately level, tying the game at four apiece after one hectic inning to begin the day. Both offenses went quiet in the ensuing innings, as Erskine starter Chase Grube posted zeroes in his next three innings of work. Ethan Wilford came on to retire the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings, and a scoreless top of the seventh from Jared Guell kept the game tied heading into the bottom of the seventh. After a caught stealing helped SWU record a quick pair of outs to begin the inning, Jacob Platt was walked and then moved into scoring position thanks to a Cole Savage hit-by-pitch. Carson Yates followed and ripped a ball just inside the third-base line that allowed Platt to score the winning run as Yates' walk-off heroics captured a series win for the Fleet.

Game 3: Southern Wesleyan 9-8 Erskine
In the finale, Erskine got the scoring started with RBI doubles from Pierce Radke and Ricky Dober, as part of a three-run third inning. SWU scored the next four runs of the game to go in front, but an Adrian Rolon RBI single in the sixth tied the game at four. The Warriors answered with a three-spot in the top of the seventh, but similar to the first inning of the day, Erskine got all of the runs back in the bottom half. Dober's sacrifice fly made it 7-5, and then Danny Villafane delivered a run-scoring single to get the Fleet within one. Jack Luthren followed with a clutch RBI double that tied the game heading into the eighth. After a scoreless inning worked by Kendall Brewer, Drew Potts fired the Fleet back in front with a go-ahead RBI single that scored Platt to make it 8-7, with the Fleet three outs away from a sweep. However, the visitors responded with a pair of runs in the ninth to stun the Fleet late, who still earned a Conference Carolinas series win over the weekend.

THE PLAYER
Carson Yates started all three games of the series and delivered on his opportunity, going 4-for-10 at the plate, including a huge 3-for-4 performance with three RBIs in Game 2. Yates sealed a series win for the Fleet with his walk-off single in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine starts a road trip this coming week at Savannah State University (11-9, 8-4 SIAC) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in what will be the first-ever meeting on the diamond between the Fleet and the Tigers.

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