Pair of one-run losses ends Kennamer?s trip to Series

By ROB NUNLEY Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

KENNAMER

Former Pioneer Derek Kennamer?s Francis Marion University squad was ousted from the double-elimination Division II College World Series over the holiday weekend, falling to top-ranked Tampa on Saturday then losing in 10 innings to West Chester University Monday afternoon.

On Monday, West Chester?s Mark Gilliford scored on a fielder?s choice grounder in the top of the 10th inning to give his team a 3-2 win over the Patriots, who had rallied to force extra innings with a single run in the bottom of the ninth after trailing 2-0 early in the game.

Kennamer finished 1-for-2 in the loss, drawing a pair of walks.

On Saturday, Kennamer celebrated his birthday with a pair of infield hits, finishing 2-for-5 with a run scored. But the Patriots couldn?t come through late against the No. 1-ranked Tampa squad, which improved to 51-6 with a 4-3 win thanks to a Lee Cruz homer with two outs in the eighth inning.

With two outs in the ninth, Kennamer legged out his second infield single of the game, and swiped second to put the tying run in scoring position. But Tampa got out of the jam when Ryan Kennedy retired Justin Greene after fielding a grounder deep in the hole at second base.

The game marked just the eighth time in 57 games that Tampa had been held under five runs. The weekend?s losses brought to an end the most successful season ever for Kennamer?s Patriots, who finished with a 41-18 record.

(Information compiled from FMU Sports Information Department reports)