YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. –  Michael Wilson's grand slam highlighted a six-run fifth inning as Francis Marion University defeated Young Harris College 11-6 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Thursday (May 2) evening at Zell B. Miller Field.

The Patriots improved to 26-16 overall and to 18-9 in the Peach Belt while the Mountain Lions fell to 22-23 and 8-19. The two teams conclude their three-game series at 1 p.m. Friday (May 3).

The Mountain Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the fourth as Trey Rogers and David Atwood led off the inning with back-to-back doubles.

Francis Marion broke the game open in the fifth against Young Harris starter Adam Moore (4-5) as they put together four hits, a hit batter and a walk. The Patriots tied the game at 1 on Isaac Davenport's single through the left side. Stephen Tarkenton added a sacrifice fly in the right field before Wilson hit his second homer of 2013 over the right field fence to stoke the Patriots to a 6-1 lead.

The Patriots tacked on two more unearned runs in the seventh as took advantage of two of the four errors that Young Harris committed on the day. Young Harris rallied for four runs in its half of the inning to pull within three runs at 8-5. Mike Medori had an RBI single after Moore started the outburst with a double to left-center field. Atwood and Jack Morrow added run-scoring singles before Zach Bricknell contributed a sacrifice fly.

Francis Marion added three insurance runs in the ninth as Wilson added a sacrifice fly and Rhodes Dickerson tallied a RBI single.

Gary Ashcroft (6-4) earned the win with 6 1/3 innings while Jeffrey Stoner earned his third save as he pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, including working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

Rogers and Atwood led the Mountain Lions, who outhit Francis Marion 12-10, with three hits apiece while Medori added two more. Wilson, who drove in five runs, Davenport, and Tarkenton each tallied two safeties.