State scoreboard, Thursday, March 7

Schley Gordy is batting .431 and has scored
29 runs in 19 games for the Pioneers. (SMC photo)

Player of the day: Schley Gordy, Spartanburg Methodist, 5-for-9, SB, 3 R.

Game of the day
Southern Wesleyan 11, Erskine 10
The Warriors served as visitors on their home field to open a Conference Carolinas "road" series, and found things to their liking, scoring two runs in the ninth inning and holding on for victory at Dr. C. Keith Connor Field.

Prospects of bad weather prompted the series to start a day earlier than scheduled and move from Due West to Central.

The result was a lot of scoring - only five of 18 half-innings were scoreless.

Southern Wesleyan built a 9-5 lead after six innings, but Erskine got a run in the seventh and Dale Francis Jr. hit a three-run homer in the eighth to draw the Flying Fleet even.

In their previous game on Sunday, the Warriors missed out on a chance to upend No. 2 North Greenville when the Crusaders scored the eventual winning run on a wild pitch in the ninth.

The spike was on the other foot Thursday, as a Flying Fleet wild pitch let Luke Staton score the go-ahead run in the ninth. Southern Wesleyan scored another run when Travis Hammond got an infield single and an error allowed Clay Porter to score.

That run proved crucial got a run in the bottom of the inning before being retired.

The series shifts to Grier Field in Due West for a 10 a.m. doubleheader on Friday.

Elsewhere: Columbia International scored seven runs in the second inning and cruised to victory over Truett McConnell. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was delayed until Friday ... Schley Gordy had three hits, a stolen base and two runs scored as Spartanburg Methodist won Game 2 against Catawba Valley to split a pair at Mooneyham Field.

Catawba Valley 3, Spartanburg Methodist 2, Game 1 - Spa: Landon Sexton 5 IP, 0 R, 5 K

Spartanburg Methodist 8, Catawba Valley 3, Game 2 - Spa: Matt Layton 1B, 2B. BB, RBI
Columbia International 10, Truett McConnell 6 - Col: James Lovera 1B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI
Francis Marion JV 4, Columbia International JV 3, Game 1
Columbia International JV 3, Francis Marion JV 2, Game 2
Southern Wesleyan 11, Erskine 10 - Sou: Jason Culley 2-4, 2 BB, 3 R

First Pitch Invitational
Fluor Field, Greenville
VCU 9,  Western Michigan 7, 11 innings

VCU 5, Western Carolina 2
(6/510)

Beyond the Border

(Again, technically inside the border): Virginia Commonwealth, coached by Upstate native and former Clemson player and assistant Bradley LeCroy, got a pair of wins on the opening day of the second weekend of the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field. The Rams gave up six runs to Western Michigan in the ninth to tie the game before winning, 9-7. VCU beat Western Carolina, 5-2, in the second game ... Tusculum lost to NAIA power Concordia, 13-5 ...