MISENHEIMER, NC – Freshman first baseman Meghan Heiser
recorded five hits and senior left-hander Michaela Wolf reached
another career milestone as Francis Marion University split a
non-conference softball doubleheader at Pfeiffer University on
Thursday afternoon (April 1). The Patriots won the opener 9-1
in five innings, but lost game-two 2-1, leaving the bases loaded in
the final inning.
Francis Marion (28-11) will play a road doubleheader at
11th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University next Thursday at 2 p.m.
Pfeiffer is now 15-25.
Heiser was 3-for-3 in game one, while scoring once and driving
in two runs. Sophomore second baseman Ashley Jaramillo was
1-for-3 with a two-run double.
After allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the first, Wolf
(16-5) blanked the Falcons over the final four frames. She
fanned five, walked no one, and allowed just six hits while
recording her 86th career win and tying Annie Sells of AASU for
second on the all-time Peach Belt Conference wins list. At
the plate Wolf was 2-for-2 with three runs scored.
Melanie Conklin (3-5) took the game-one loss for Pfeiffer.
In the second contest, junior FMU righty Cea Knox (12-5) allowed
only five hits, but was saddled with the loss.
Pfeiffer took a 2-0 advantage on an RBI-single by catcher
Mikaela Strickland in the second and a solo homer by second baseman
Heather Nobles in the fourth.
FMU scored its lone run in the fifth inning when junior
shortstop Jessica Hogan led off with a triple and scored on a
sacrifice fly by senior left fielder Jessica Birchmeier.
However, the Patriots left two runners on base in that frame, one
in the sixth, and three in the seventh.
In the last inning, FMU loaded the bases with one out.
Senior third baseman Kat Beauvais then grounded to short where the
FMU base runner collided with the shortstop and was called out for
interference leaving the bases still loaded, but with two
outs. Junior right fielder Chelle Phillips, the
Patriots' leading hitter, then popped out to end the game.
Heiser was 2-for-3 in the second game, as was Hogan and
sophomore center fielder Destinea Schneider.
Allison Braswell (5-8) earned the game-two win for Pfeiffer.
