Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Like Francis Marion Athletics on Facebook!
COLUMBUS, GA - Francis Marion University entered the latter innings in each game of its Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader tied with Columbus State University before the Cougars scored late runs to capture a pair of wins on Sunday afternoon (April 15).
A one-out solo home run to left center field by Morgan Staffins in the bottom of the seventh resulted in a 1-0 CSU in game one. Columbus State (34-18, 9-9) plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to claim a 3-1 victory in game two at Cougar Field.
FMU (31-15, 8-8) returns home to host Armstrong Atlantic State University on Tuesday (April 17) in a make-up game that was rained out earlier in the season. It will be the first game for the Patriots in the new FMU Softball Stadium at the Griffin Athletic Complex. The doubleheader will start at 3 p.m. and admission is free.
In Sunday's opener, FMU sophomore Taylor Luff (9-4) dazzled in the circle, only to be outdone by Columbus State's Mollie Russell (16-10) in an old-fashioned pitcher's duel. Luff allowed only 3 hits and one walk, while striking out seven.
The Patriots were held to two hits in the opening loss with their best opportunity to score coming in the top half of the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Destinea Schneider led off the frame with a walk, followed by a bunt single from sophomore Sara Broderick. The heart of the FMU order however went down in order, and left two runners on base.
In the second contest, FMU fell behind in the first inning 1-0, before freshman pitcher Katie Carnes helped her own cause in the top of the second inning. Carnes grounded out to shortstop to score junior Jazz Holiday to even the score at 1-1. Holiday had led off the inning with a double. She went 2-for-3 in the game, as did Schneider, the duo accounting for four of the Patriots' six hits.
With the game locked at 1-1, Columbus State once again benefited from a big hit from Staffins, this time a go-ahead RBI double to left-centerfield. The Cougars would add an insurance run in the inning to extend their lead to 3-1.
FMU put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning before stranding the tying runs on first and second base.
Carnes (10-5) scattered six hits and struck out eight hitters in the losing effort as Taylor Turner (8-4) picked up the win for Columbus State.
Columbus State U. 1, Francis Marion 0 (Apr 15, 2012 at Columbus, GA) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 000 000 0 - 0 2 0 (31-14, 8-7 PBC)
Columbus State U.... 000 000 1 - 1 3 0 (33-18, 8-9 PBC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Taylor Luff and Olivia Ferguson. Columbus State U. - Russell and Googe.
Win-Russell(16-10) Loss-Taylor Luff(9-4) T-1:17 A-308
HR CSU - Staffins (7).
Weather: 73 degrees, cloudy
Columbus State U. 3, Francis Marion 1 (Apr 15, 2012 at Columbus, GA) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 010 000 0 - 1 6 2 (31-15, 8-8 PBC)
Columbus State U.... 100 002 X - 3 6 0 (34-18, 9-9 PBC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Katie Carnes and Olivia Ferguson. Columbus State U. - Turner and Googe.
Win-Turner(8-4) Loss-Katie Carnes(10-5) T-1:33 A-0
Weather: 78 degrees, mostly sunny
