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BELMONT, NC – Sophomore shortstop Lindsey Brown registered four hits, including homers in both games, as Francis Marion University swept a non-conference doubleheader from Belmont Abbey College, 2-1 and 8-1, Wednesday afternoon (March 28) in softball action.

Francis Marion improves to 26-12, while the Crusaders fall to 8-26.  FMU will play at 8th-ranked North Georgia College and State University on Saturday at noon.

Brown finished the twinbill 4-for-7 with four runs batted in, while senior center fielder Destinea Schneider was 4-for-8 with two runs scored and an RBI.  FMU sophomore outfielder Jazz Holliday was 4-for-4 with a double and solo home run in game two.

In the opener, Belmont Abbey took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Aleisha Peek doubled, moved to third on a single, and then sole home.

Francis Marion rallied to take the lead in the fourth frame when Brown hit a one-out solo shot to center field, and two batters later, freshman catcher Krissy Longstreet singled and eventually came around to score on a two-out wild pitch.

The two tallies were all senior right-hander Kayla Ellingsen (9-5) would need.  She allowed only five hits and the one run, while striking out two and walking three.  She escaped a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the fifth, but then faced only the minimum six batters over the last two frames.

Both Brown and junior Olivia Ferguson had two hits in game one.

Nikki Faust was the losing pitcher.

In the second game, Brown delivered early with a two-run homer to center in the top of the first.

An RBI-single by Schneider in the top of the fourth upped the margin to 3-0, but the Crusaders answered with a single run in the last of the fourth as Peek singled home Kelly Schweizer.

Francis Marion responded with two runs in the top of the fifth on a two-run double by sophomore Sara Broderick.  FMU added three insurance tallies in the seventh thanks to a solo homer by Holliday, an RBI double by Brown, and an RBI single by junior third baseman Tristan Faile.

Freshman righty Katie Carnes earned the win and in the process reached double-digit victories at 10-4.  In her five innings of work, she allowed one run on six hits, while fanning three and walking none.  Sophomore Taylor Luff finished up with two scoreless innings in relief.

Six Patriots had multiple hits in game two as the Patriots pounded out a season-high 18 base hits.

Emily Self was charged with the loss.