Staff report
Catawba couldn’t hold an early lead and lost 11-7 to Francis Marion in the Southeast Regional tournament on Friday.
The highlight for the Indians was a run-scoring single by Craige Lyerly in the second inning that gave him the school record for hitting safely in consecutive games. He’s hit safely in 34 in a row, breaking a record held by Earl Lentz since 1956.
Lyerly’s hit was part of a big inning that gave No. 4 seed Catawba (36-17) a 5-0 lead. Cameron White opened the scoring with a 400-foot homer. Lyerly, Brett Hatley, Ryan Query and Kevin McMillan had run-scoring hits in the second.Catawba starting pitcher Alex Fairweather was knocked out in the fifth. Reliever Travis McSweeney took the loss. No. 2 seed Francis Marion (36-17-1) scored four runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth to take control of the game.
McMillan doubled home a run in the fifth for the Indians. Query blasted a homer, his 20th of the season, for Catawba’s final run in the ninth. It traveled 365 feet.
Catawba had 10 hits, including two each by Hatley, Query, McMillan and Zeb Link.
Wil Huneycutt, Cliff Poole and Clay Watson also saw action out of the bullpen for Catawba.
The standout for Francis Marion was relief pitcher Brandon Forschee.
He limited Catawba to one run and three hits over th final 61/3 innings after Catawba knocked out starter David Walters.
Catawba has to win today to stay alive in the double-elimination event.
The Indians take on top-seeded host USC Aiken today at 3 p.m.