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FLORENCE, SC- Francis Marion University fell in a pair of Peach Belt Conference softball games to Flagler College, 1-0 in eight innings and 11-7, in a doubleheader that took nearly seven hours to complete Sunday afternoon (March 25) in Florence, SC.

In the afternoon's opener, it was senior Kayla Ellingsen who was tabbed with the tough-luck loss in a pitchers' duel.  Ellingsen tossed eight innings scattering five hits and striking out five, but still dropped to 8-5 on the season as Flager's Donna Munafo (14-1) picked up the shutout victory while striking out eight Patriots.

FMU (24-12, 4-6) had something going in the bottom of the third when Ellingsen led off with a single.  Sophomore pinch runner Olivia Zielinski moved up to second on a fielder's choice with one out, but Flagler (29-11, 6-4) was able to escape the inning unharmed after a strikeout and a pop out.

The Patriots and Saints battled back and forth, until the top of the eighth inning. With two outs in the frame, Flagler's Tori Jolley lined a pitch down the left field line that nicked off the glove of junior third basemen Tristan Faile and rolled into the corner scoring Whitney Little to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.

Francis Marion went down in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.  The Patriots had four hits in the opener and stranded four runners on base.

The nightcap saw an offensive explosion from both sides that was twice interrupted by rain delays.  The contest featured a second inning in which the two teams combined for 13 runs and each side hit around in the order.

Leading 1-0, the Saints put eight runs on the board in the top of the frame, striking a major blow on Alona Personius' tape-measure grand slam home run to left that put Flagler up 5-0.  The Saints ended the inning with eight runs on six hits and took advantage of two Patriot errors to lead 9-0.

FMU didn't waste much time chipping away at the Flagler lead, pushing across five runs of its own in the bottom of the second.  The Patriots benefited from three walks and tacked on three of its six hits for the game in the inning.  Sophomore Lindsey Brown led off the inning with a single and took second on a wild pitch.  After walks to junior Olivia Ferguson and freshman Katie Carnes, sophomore Sara Broderick cashed in on a one-out single to put the Patriots on the board.  Senior Destinea Schneider drew a bases-loaded walk, before Faile singled up the middle scoring two more Patriots  to round out the scoring.

Down 11-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning sophomore outfielder Jazz Holiday brought FMU closer with a two-run home run into right-centerfield making the score 11-7.  That's as close as Francis Marion would get.  Sophomore Taylor Luff (6-3) got the start for FMU working an inning and a third before being chased by the Saints.  Carnes and Ellingsen then combined to finish out the game, with Ellingsen working the final three innings and keeping the Saints off the scoreboard.  Katie Enright (5-3) got the win in relief for Flagler.

The Patriots are back in action onWednesday (March 28) when they visit Belmont-Abbey College for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

Flagler College 11, Francis Marion Univ. 7 (Mar 25, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Flagler College.....    180 020 0 - 11 13  0      (29-11, 6-4 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 050 002 0 -  7  6  4      (24-12, 4-6 PBC)
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Pitchers: Flagler College - Kalyn Loverich; Katie Enright (2) and Robyn Draper.
Francis Marion Univ. - Taylor Luff; Katie Carnes (2); Kayla Ellingsen (5) and Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Katie Enright (5-3)  Loss-Taylor Luff (6-3)  T-2:20 
HR FLG - Alona Personius (6).
HR FMU - Jazz Holliday (3).
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 70 degrees
Carnes faced 2 batters in the 5th.

Flagler College 1, Francis Marion Univ. 0 (Mar 25, 2012 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Flagler College.....    000 000 01 -  1  5  0      (28-11, 5-4 PBC)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 000 00 -  0  4  0      (24-11, 4-5 PBC)
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Pitchers: Flagler College - Donna Munafo and Robyn Draper. Francis Marion Univ. -
Kayla Ellingsen and Olivia Ferguson.
Win-Donna Munafo (14-1)  Loss-Kayla Ellingsen (8-5)  T-1:50  A-76
Weather: Gloomy but Hopeful, 61 degrees