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AMERICUS, GA - Standout pitching from senior Kayla Ellingsen and sophomore Taylor Luff guided Francis Marion University to 7-0 and 2-1 softball wins over Georgia Southwestern State University, Saturday afternoon (April 14) in Peach Belt Conference action at Lady Canes Field.
Ellingsen (11-6) twirled seven shutout innings in the opener as the Patriots (31-13, 8-6) handled the Lady Hurricanes (21-29, 3-15) 7-0. The senior righty scattered seven hits and struck out eight hitters.
The FMU offense jumped on GSW starter Casey Burns by scoring in the top of the second with a three spot. Junior Olivia Ferguson came around to start the scoring after freshman Krissy Longstreet reached on an error by the right fielder. The score became 3-0 on sophomore Sara Broderick's single to third base in which she advanced to third on the throw. The hit brought around Longstreet and sophomore Lindsey Brown to score, and that would be all the support Ellingsen would need.
The Patriots added another run in the top of the third and duplicated the three-run inning with another one in the top of the sixth. Francis Marion pounded out six hits led by Ferguson's 2-for-3 day with an RBI, as well as Broderick's two runs batted in.
In the later game, Luff (9-3) picked up right where Ellingsen had left off. Luff held Georgia Southwestern hitless for its first four innings on her way to a complete-game win, striking out eleven and giving up only two hits. Katie Maddox (7-10) would be handed the loss.
Broderick opened the scoring for FMU in the nightcap as she singled to lead off the first inning and came home on an RBI-double by junior Tristan Faile. Faile ended the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
The Patriots would then get a much needed insurance run in the top of the sixth after Faile laced a double that plated senior Ashley Jaramillo to push the lead to 2-0. The Lady Hurricanes cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth, but Luff shut the door by striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Ferguson finished the twinbill with three hits, while the two Patriot hurlers combined for 19 strikeouts against only one walk.
Francis Marion has now won at least 30 games in 12 of the past 15 seasons.
FMU returns to action on Sunday (April 15) as it's on the road at Columbus State University for a key Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at 2 p.m.
Francis Marion 7, Georgia Southwestern 0 (Apr 14, 2012 at Americus, Ga,) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion...... 031 003 0 - 7 6 0 (30-13, 7-6 PBC)
Georgia Southwestern 000 000 0 - 0 7 3 (21-28, 3-14 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Kayla Ellingsen and Olivia Ferguson. Georgia Southwestern - Martin;
Burns(3) and Chewning.
Win-Kayla Ellingsen (11-6) Loss-Martin (9-8) T-2:14 A-97
Weather: 74 degrees with clear skies
Francis Marion 2, Georgia Southwestern 1 (Apr 14, 2012 at Americus, Ga.) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 100 001 0 - 2 6 1 (31-13, 8-6 PBC)
Georgia Southwestern 000 001 0 - 1 2 1 (21-29, 3-15 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Taylor Luff and Krissy Longstreet. Georgia Southwestern - Maddox and Chewning.
Win-Taylor Luff (9-3) Loss-Maddox (7-10) T-1:12 A-0
Weather: 81 degrees with clear skies
