FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore Tristan Faile's 2-for-4 game that nearly included two home runs helped carry Francis Marion University to a 7-4 game-two win over 11th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University and a split of their Sunday afternoon (Feb. 13) non-conference softball doubleheader.  Brittany Davidson had a key two-run pinch-hitter double in game one to help the Bears to a 5-2 victory.

Francis Marion (4-1) will next play at Wingate University on Wednesday in a 1 p.m. twinbill.

In the second game on Sunday, Lenoir-Rhyne (2-2) scored three times in the top of the first, highlighted by a two-run homer by first baseman Jessica Fellmouth.  FMU answered in the bottom of the frame when Faile plated a pair of runners with a double that hit the top of the center field fence, bounced up, and dropped back into play.

Still trailing 3-2 in the fourth, FMU scored twice by way of a wild pitch and a two-out error.  Fellmouth, who was 3-for-4 in the second game, tied the contest at 4-4 with an RBI single in the fifth.

Faile then put the Patriots up for good with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth.  The Patriots added a second run in the frame on another two-out error by the Bears.

Senior right-hander Cea Knox (1-0) recovered from the rocky first frame to earn her first win of 2011, while junior Kayla Ellingsen pitched two scoreless frames to earn her first save.

FMI junior second baseman Ashley Jaramillo was 2-for-4 in the game two with a double and an RBI.

Megan Laxton (0-1) allowed Faile's longball and was tagged with the loss.

In game one, the Bears scored once in the top of the first, but Francis Marion tied the game in the second frame when Jessica Hogan tripled and scored on an RBI single by first baseman Megann Sallinger.

Lenoir-Rhyne scored three times in the third, highlighted by Davidson's big hit.  FMU trimmed the margin to 4-2 in the fourth as Kayla Bowie delivered a run-scoring infield single, but that would be as close as the Patriots would get. The Bears added an insurance run in the sixth inning.

Lenoir-Rhyne catcher Sara Atkins and third baseman Haily Jarman were both 2-for-4 in the game one.  Dawon Millwood (2-0) earned the win, while Julie Wakefield recorded a save. 

Ellingsen (2-1) started the opener and was saddled with the loss.

GAME 1 of DH

Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. 5, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Feb 13, 2011 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Lenoir-Rhyne Univ... 103 001 0 -  5 11  1      (2-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 010 100 0 -  2  6  1      (3-1)
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Pitchers: Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. - Dawon Millwood; Julie Wakefield (5) and Sarah Atkins.
Francis Marion Univ. - Kayla Ellingsen; Cea Knox (4) and Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Dawon Millwood (2-0)  Save-Julie Wakefield (1)  Loss-Kayla Ellingsen (2-1)  T-2:13  A-144
Weather: Clear, Sunny, 62 degrees

Game 2 of DH

Francis Marion Univ. 7, #11 Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. 4 (Feb 13, 2011 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Lenoir-Rhyne Univ... 300 010 0 -  4  6  4      (2-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 200 221 X -  7  8  2      (4-1)
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Pitchers: Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. - Lauren Harris; Megan Laxton (4); Julie Wakefield (6) and
Sarah Atkins. Francis Marion Univ. - Cea Knox; Kayla Ellingsen (6) and Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Cea Knox (1-0)  Save-Kayla Ellingsen (1)  Loss-Megan Laxton (0-1)  T-2:14
HR LRU - Jessica Fellmeth.
HR FMU - Tristan Faile (1).
Weather: Clear, 53 degrees

       Tristan Faile