FLORENCE, SC – Junior right-handed pitcher Taylor Luff tossed a three-hitter and registered three hits at the plate, but the other Francis Marion University bats were mostly silenced by Lenoir-Rhyne University pitching as the Bears swept Wednesday's (March 20) non-conference softball doubleheader by scores of 1-0 and 8-0.

Lauren Elder's two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth inning plated an unearned run to give the Bears the game-one victory.  Jody Mizelle's three-run home run highlighted a six-run third frame as Lenoir-Rhyne (21-6) cruised to game-two victory.

Francis Marion (19-13) will return to the diamond on Thursday with a road twinbill at Queens University of Charlotte at 2 p.m.

Luff (10-8) was bested by freshman left-hander Brandi Hole (11-4) in Wednesday's opener.  Luff allowed only the three hits and one unearned run, while striking out nine with only one walk.  Hole limited the Patriots to three hits – one by Luff – while fanning four and issuing just one base-on-balls.

FMU's best scoring opportunity came in the fourth when the Patriots got runners to second and third with one out, but Hole retired the next two batters on a ground out and a line out.

Luff had both Francis Marion hits in the second contest.  She has now raised her season batting average to a team-best .370 clip.  Freshman righty Maryann Hoskins (9-2) earned the win for the Bears.

Patriot junior right-hander Danielle Payne (4-4) was tagged with the loss.  Only one of the eight runs she allowed was earned. She struck out five and walked just one.

With Lenoir-Rhyne leading 1-0, a two-out error by the Patriots in the top of the third inning opened the floodgates for six runs.