Catawba Ends Season With 3-2 Loss To Francis Marion

FLORENCE, SC -- Catawba College's bats were held at bay once again as the Indians managed just four hits in a season-ending 3-2 loss to host and top-seeded Francis Marion at the 2010 NCAA II Southeast Region Baseball Tournament on Friday afternoon at Cormell Field. The win keeps the sixth-ranked Patriots' season alive as they improve to 39-13. The 25th-ranked Catawba Indians end their year at 40-13.

Craige Lyerly managed two of the four Catawba hits to finish his career by reaching base safely in 88 straight games. Down by a run in the ninth, Lyerly beat out a routine ground ball to short with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Garrett Furr followed with a single to right, but it held up just enough to keep Lyerly from trying to score. Francis Marion went to their closer, Brandon Forshee, who was able to get a strikeout and a flyout to end the contest.

Catawba led early. Furr homered in the second for a 1-0 lead and Lyerly produced a RBI single after a Patriot error in the fourth for a 2-0 edge. FMU got out of further damage when Zeb Link grounded into a doubleplay with the bases loaded to end the frame.

Nick Lomascolo kept the FMU off the board for seven innings, but the Patriots were able to push across three runs in the eighth to go on top. With one out in the eighth, John Floyd singled just out of reach of Furr at first base and Josh Biggers followed with a chopper through the left side just out of reach of a diving Lyerly.

Lomascolo recorded the second out, but Barrett Kleinknect singled up the middle to get the Patriots on the board. Wil Huneycutt relieved the freshman left-hander and nearly ended the frame on a looping liner to second, but it was just high enough that Brett Underwood was only able to knock it down and keep the tying run from scoring. Pinch-hitter Alex Lee followed with a grounder up the middle that put FMU on top.

Floyd and Kleinknecht each had two of the nine hits by Francis Marion. Furr and Lyerly had the Catawba hits, two apiece. Lomascolo (7-3) scattered seven hits over seven and two-thirds innings in taking the loss. He walked one and struck out four. Kleinknecht went eight and a third innings, allowing the four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Lyerly finishes his career ranked No. 6 on the NCAA career leader list with 336 hits. He stands tied for fifth in career total bases with 537. Former Catawba standout David Thomas heads that list at 583 total bases.