COLUMBUS, GA – An error in the bottom of the ninth inning led to the game-winning run in game one and a fifth-inning tie-breaking homer spelled doom for the Francis Marion University softball team as the Patriots dropped a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader to Columbus State University on Sunday (Feb. 20).  CSU won the opener 3-2 in nine innings on Kori Waugh's RBI single, and then Waugh's solo homer in the fifth inning broke a 4-4 deadlock and gave the Lady Cougars a 5-4 game two victory.

Francis Marion falls to 8-3 overall and 2-2 in the PBC, while Columbus State improves to 9-3 and 2-0.  FMU will play host to Mount Olive College on Tuesday for a 1 p.m. twinbill.

FMU's second batter of the day, Sara Broderick, reached on a single in the first inning, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Ashley Jaramillo's bloop single over the first baseman's head.  Jaramillo had three of the Patriots' six hits in the opener.

The Lady Cougars answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 advantage.  Francis Marion wasted no time tying the contest as senior outfielder Chelle Phillips led off the top of the third with a home run.

CSU's Kara Gordon reached on an outfield error to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning.  She stole second base and moved to third on a groundout.  Waugh then laced one down the third base line off the glove of the diving third baseman to bring home the game-winning run.

FMU senior righty Cea Knox (5-1) suffered her first defeat of the season. She threw 8.1 innings and surrendered three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks.  Columbus State senior Kristi Bullard allowed just two runs on six hits and one walk in her nine innings.  She also struck out six.

Looking to get off to a quick start in game two, the Patriots received a first-inning, run-scoring single from Jessica Hogan. CSU scored twice in the bottom of the first on a two-run homer from Gordon.

FMU first baseman Megann Sallinger answered with a solo homer in the top of the second to tie the contest at 2-2.  In the last of the third, CSU took a 3-2 advantage on an RBI double by Waugh. Sallinger then hit her second solo shot of the game in the fourth to again knot the score at 3-3.  A pair of CSU errors led a second Patriot run in the frame as FMU went on top 4-3.

Columbus State scored once in the bottom of the fifth as Kristin Gregory homered, and that set the stage for Waugh's game-winning home run in the fifth.

With one out in the seventh, Hogan doubled to left center and advanced to third with the potential tying run, but was stranded there when Olivia Ferguson flew out to right field to end the game.

Hogan was 3-for-3 in game two with a pair of doubles, while Sallinger was 2-for-3.

Bullard (5-1) also earned the win in game two with three innings of one-hit ball in relief. FMU sophomore southpaw Murphy McConnell (1-1) took the loss as she allowed five runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings.