MILLEDGEVILLE, GA – Sophomore catcher Olivia Ferguson hit a three-run homer and a run-scoring double to help lead Francis Marion University to an 8-4 game-one win in Saturday's (Feb. 26) Peach Belt Conference doubleheader with Georgia College, but the Patriots stranded 10 runners on base in game two and fell 2-1.

With the split, Francis Marion is 11-4 overall and 3-3 in the Peach Belt, while Georgia College moves to 5-13 and 1-1.

FMU will play a non-conference twinbill at Limestone College on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Ferguson's home run helped stake the Patriots to a 4-1 lead in the third inning of game one.  The Bobcats rallied to within 5-4 after five innings, but the Patriots tacked on three insurance runs.

In addition to Ferguson's two hits, freshman designated player Lindsey Brown was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three driven in.  Senior third baseman Jessica Hogan was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a triple, and one RBI, while freshman right fielder Brooke Barnhill and senior left fielder Chelle Phillips both registered two hits.

Senior right-hander Cea Knox (7-1) picked up the win, while junior righty Kayla Ellingsen pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief to earn her third save of 2011.

Sabrina Chandler (3-5) was the losing pitcher. Junior Haley Burnett led the Bobcats at the plate with a 3-for-3 performance that included an RBI.  Lindsey Conway was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

In game two, the Bobcats scored single runs in each of the first two frames.  FMU answered with a single run in the sixth inning when Barnhill led off with a walk and eventually scored on a two-out double to left center fielder by freshman shortstop Sara Broderick.  Broderick was tagged out at third base trying to stretch the hit into a triple.

Hogan led off the Patriot seventh with a walk, but after a strikeout, she was thrown out at second base trying to steal.

Ellingsen (3-2) recorded a complete-game effort in the second contest.  She struck out three, walked two, and surrendered five hits.

Freshman Chelsie Huffman and junior Caitlin Duvall (2-3) combined to limit FMU to seven hits, although they issued eight walks.

FMU center fielder Destinea Schneider, first baseman Megann Sallinger, and Broderick all had two hits in game two.