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FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore outfielder Olivia Zielinski connected for a three-run homer to back the shutout pitching of senior right-hander Kayla Ellingsen as Francis Marion University defeated Limestone College 8-0 in six innings in the first game of Tuesday's (Feb. 21) non-conference softball doubleheader.  The Saints quieted the Patriot bats in game two and captured a 3-2 win and a split of the twinbill.

Francis Marion (9-3) will play a non-conference doubleheader at Mount Olive College on Wednesday at 1 p.m. before opening Peach Belt Conference play by hosting USC Aiken on Saturday at 1 p.m.

FMU took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of the opener when senior center fielder Destinea Schneider blooped a run-scoring single to left. The advantage doubled in the fourth fame when Zielinski walked, stole second, and came around to score on an RBI single through the right side by Lindsey Brown.

Zielinski then hammered her three-run shot over the left center field fence in a four-run fifth inning.  The Patriots scored twice in the sixth to end the game by the mercy rule with Zielinski driving in the final run with a bases-loaded walk.

Schneider finished the game 2-for-2, while junior catcher Olivia Ferguson was 2-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in.  Ellingsen (5-1) scattered three hits, struck out six, and walked only two.

Junior righty Shelby Webb (0-2) was the losing pitcher.  Saints center fielder and lead-off batter Jenna Guse was 2-for-3 in game one.

Junior right-hander Leah Quant (1-1) limited FMU to only five hits in the second contest. Limestone scored twice in the first inning as the first two Saint batters of the game walked and eventually came around to score.  Guse drove in a third run with an RBI triple down the left field line in the top of the second.

Francis Marion scored once in the fourth and once in the fifth with Schneider playing a role both times.  She scored from second on a two-out error in the fourth and walked with the bases-loaded in the fifth.

FMU left the bases loaded in the fifth, went down in order in the sixth, and scratched out only a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh in an effort to push across the tying run.

Schneider was 2-for-2 in the second contest.  Sophomore righty Taylor Luff (0-1) pitched game two for the Patriots, allowing seven hits, fanning six, and walking two.

Jordan Smith and Alex Brown were both 2-for-3 to lead Limestone (1-3) in the second game. 

SB GAME ONE

Francis Marion Univ. 8, Limestone College 0 (Feb 21, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Limestone College... 000 000  -  0  3  0      (0-3)
Francis Marion Univ. 001 142  -  8  9  0      (9-2)
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Pitchers: Limestone College - Shelby Webb; Dallas Heaton (6) and Alex Brown.
Francis Marion Univ. - Kayla Ellingsen and Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Kayla Ellingsen (5-1)  Loss-Shelby Webb (0-2)  T-2:08  A-40
HR FMU - Olivia Zielinski (2).
Weather: Overcast 51 degrees

SB GAME TWO

Limestone College 3, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Feb 21, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Limestone College... 210 000 0 -  3  7  1      (1-3)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 110 0 -  2  5  3      (9-3)
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Pitchers: Limestone College - Leah Quant and Alex Brown. Francis Marion Univ. - Taylor Luff and
Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Leah Quant(1-1)  Loss-Taylor Luff(0-1)  T-1:55  A-0
Weather: Overcast 61 degrees