FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore Ashleigh Sammut delivered her first career hit as a Patriot, an RBI double that plated the tying run and led to the go-ahead score, as Francis Marion University claimed a 3-2 win over UNC Pembroke, Wednesday afternoon (April 6) in first game of a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader. The Lady Braves reversed the result in game two by scoring an unearned run in the top of the 12th inning to take a 7-6 victory.

Francis Marion moves to 22-17-1 overall and 7-9 in the PBC – good for sixth place in the conference standings.  UNCP (19-21, 7-11) is tied for eighth in the PBC standings as the teams battle to qualify for the PBC Tournament.

FMU will play host to Flagler College on Saturday for a PBC twinbill at 1 p.m.

In game one, Sammut's hit down the left field line tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.  On the play, the ball was mishandled by the outfielder in the left field corner also allowing Olivia Zielinski to score the eventual winning run.

Junior right-hander Kayla Ellingsen (9-6) pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win.

Junior center fielder Destinea Schneider was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead FMU.  Freshman second baseman Carson Summersett drove in the first Patriot run with a first-inning single.

Two errors in the top of the second frame allowed UNCP to take a 2-1 lead that remained unchanged until Sammut's hit.

Jamie Burwell (7-6) absorbed the loss, after allowing nine hits and the three runs (two earned) in her six innings.

The second contest lasted nearly three hours and featured several lead changes.  Heading into the fifth frame, FMU held a 4-1 lead behind the pitching of Ellingsen.  However, UNCP scored five times on five hits to take a 6-4 advantage.

A dropped line drive in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed Francis Marion to score two unearned runs tying the score at 6-6 and forcing extra innings.  Sophomore third baseman Tristan Faile stroked an RBI single bringing FMU to within 6-5 and junior first baseman Megann Sallinger lined a two-out RBI double down the right field line to tie the score.

In the top of the 12th inning, UNCP catcher Holly Berry singled with one out.  Left fielder Morgan Patrick followed with a single to center field and Berry came all the way around to score when the ball got past the Patriot center fielder.

Sophomore lefty Murphy McConnell (2-2) pitched the final 6.1 innings after reliving Ellingsen.  She allowed only four hits and did not walk a batter.

UNCP right-hander Natalie Klemann (6-7) pitched all 12 innings while throwing 143 pitches.  She allowed 11 hits, but only three of the Patriots' six runs were earned.  UNCP committed seven errors in the game-two win.

Sallinger was 2-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored in the second contest, while second baseman Ashley Jaramillo was 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run, and two RBIs. Schneider also had two hits in game two.

Patrick was 5-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI to lead UNCP in game two.  Second baseman Taylor Cloninger was 3-for-6 with a run scored and one driven in, while Berry was also 3-for-6.

    Ashleigh Sammut