Junior outfielder Reese Cooley was only a single shy of hitting for the cycle while driving in four runs and leading FMU to an 11-4 non-conference win over Chowan University, on Feb. 15 in college baseball action.

Francis Marion has equaled the best start in program history at 8-0. This has previously only been accomplished by the 1997 and 2016 squads.

Cooley was looking to join Lewis Brown (1978), Rodney Rogers (1993), Tim Dockery (1997), and Matt Rubino (2015) as the only Patriots to hit for the cycle and the first to do it at Sparrow Stadium. Cooley hit a three-run homer in the second, lined an RBI double in the third and tripled to lead off the eighth to finish the game 3-for-5.

Senior shortstop Zach Callahan went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. He also pitched a scoreless inning from the mound. Junior left fielder Brooks Kennedy delivered a two-run single in the Patriots’ eight-run second frame. That outburst erased an early 2-0 Chowan lead and put FMU ahead to stay.

Sophomore righthander Cole Hinnant (1-0), the second of seven Patriot hurlers, earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings. FMU pitchers combined to fan 10 batters.

Hawks’ starter Emory Chopp (0-1) took the loss.

Five Chowan batters had two hits apiece: right fielder Marquis Lanier, third baseman Zack Cooper, designated hitter Trent Brosdahl, first baseman Robert Williams and catcher Aaron Flanagan.