A four-run sixth inning propelled No. 6 Francis Marion University to a 9-3 victory over No. 2 Tusculum College Saturday night at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional at Scarborough Field.

With the win, the fourth-seeded Patriots (40-17) advance to Sunday's regional championship game at 5:00 p.m. The second-seeded Pioneers (48-9) will face fifth-seeded Catawba (40-15) at 1:00 p.m. Sunday for the right to face Francis Marion in the finals. The regional champion will earn a berth in the Division II World Series which begins May 26.

Playing in their third game in less than 24 hours, the Patriots used a 14-hit attack and took advantage of six Pioneer errors to erase a 3-2 sixth-inning deficit. Tusculum had defeated Francis Marion 7-2 in a game that ended at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, but the Patriots came back to defeat Lander 10-3 Saturday afternoon and the Pioneers Saturday night to move into the championship game.

Don Sandifer (1-4) allowed 11 hits in seven innings for the Patriots, but struck out eight and worked out of several jams to earn his first win of the season. All nine starters had at least one hit for Francis Marion, led by Michael Wilson who went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two runs batted in.

Cody Coffman led the Pioneers at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a two-run triple in the fifth inning that gave Tusculum a 3-2 lead. Aaron Guinn and Cade Stallings each went 2-for-5 for the Pioneers, who left 11 runners on base. The loss snapped a 16-game winning streak in road/neutral games for the Pioneers, who last lost away from Greeneville on March 10 at Lincoln Memorial by a score of 8-7.

"You can't make as many mistakes as we did tonight against a quality team like Francis Marion and expect to be successful," said Pioneer head coach Doug Jones. "We gave away too many free bases. We did not make good adjustments at the plate against their pitchers as they had control of all three pitches. We were outplayed in every aspect of the game. We have to regroup and be ready to play a very good Catawba club and hopefully have a rematch with Francis Marion and a chance to go to Cary."

The Patriots scored a run in the top of the first inning off Pioneer starter Adam Sigmon (8-2). Wilson led off with a single, moved to third on a throwing error and scored on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Buddy Sosnoskie.

Tusculum mounted a two-out rally in the second on a walk to Heath Comerford and a single by Nate Reid, but Sandifer came up with a strikeout to end the inning.

In the fourth, the Patriots extended their lead to 2-0 as Tyler Boyd singled with one out, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Rhodes Dickerson.

The Pioneers broke through in the fifth with three runs to take a 3-2 lead. Tripper Crisson led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice by Lukas Graves and scored on a single by Guinn.

Stallings followed with a double to put runners at second and third with one out, and with two outs Coffman delivered a triple to center field on a 1-2 pitch to bring home Stallings and Guinn and give the Pioneers their first lead of the night at 3-2.

The Patriots came right back with four runs in the top of the sixth to regain the lead at 6-3. Brian Paulhus tied the game with a one-out RBI double, and with two outs Wilson delivered a two-run single and Brock McCallister added an RBI single to give the Patriots a three-run advantage and chase Sigmon from the mound.

Tusculum attempted to come back in the bottom of the frame, putting runners at second and third with one out, but Sandifer came through with back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

The Pioneers again mounted a rally in the seventh, but Sandifer registered his eighth strikeout of the evening with two on and two out to keep the Patriot lead at 6-3.

Francis Marion took advantage of three Tusculum errors to score three insurance runs in the eighth for a 9-3 lead. With two outs and no one on, Wilson singled and later scored on an error, Sosnoskie added an RBI single and Jarrod Reed scored on yet another error.

Sigmon worked 5 2/3 innings for the Pioneers, allowing 10 hits and six runs (four earned) with three strikeouts and two walks. Michael Franklin tossed two innings of relief, giving up four hits and three runs (two earned), with Dylan Hochevar and John Clarke finishing up with scoreless outings.

The Pioneers will face Catawba for the fifth time this season and second time during the regional on Sunday. The Indians eliminated Armstrong Atlantic with an 11-0 victory behind 14 strikeouts by Ross Whitley.