FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore first baseman Addie May and freshman catcher Sarah Harkins each collected four hits and junior right-handed pitcher Katelyn Ellard picked up two wins as Francis Marion University swept a non-conference softball doubleheader from Wingate University, winning 7-5 and 7-3 on Saturday (Mar. 7) afternoon.

The 22-3 Patriot squad, off to its best start since 2003, will continue non-conference play with a road doubleheader at Barton College on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Ellard pitched all seven innings in the first game and put in 3.2 innings of relief work in the second game to earn both wins and improve to 14-3. Ellard allowed only nine hits in the two stints while fanning seven.

Francis Marion took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning of game one as May drilled a two-out, two-run double to right field. Wingate responded with two runs in the third as senior pitcher Aubrey Reep hit a two-run double of her own to tie the game at 2-2. FMU again took the lead as it scored once in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk by sophomore center fielder Danielle Karacson.

Reep (6-3) threw all six innings in the first game, allowing nine hits.

The Patriots continued to add to its lead, scoring twice in the fifth as freshman right fielder Carson Shannon hit a double and then came around to score on an RBI-single from freshman shortstop Megan Matsil. Sophomore outfielder Liberty Schultz followed with a run-scoring single to right center.

FMU added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth as Shannon delivered an RBI single and Harkins followed with run-scoring triple to right centerfield.

Wingate (11-9) made a comeback with three runs in the seventh on a two-run RBI double by third baseman Emma Swenson, who also scored on a throwing error, to trim the margin to 7-5 before Ellard retired the final two batters.

Shannon, Harkins, and May all had two hits in the opener.

In the second contest, FMU batted around in the first inning and scored four times.  A trio of two-out RBI-singles by Harkins, Matsil, and May accounted for three scores, while the fourth came home on a wild pitch.

Wingate responded with single tallies in the second and third frames to pull within 4-2.  A two-run homer down the left field line by FMU junior infielder Ashtyn Patterson restored the four-run margin in the fourth frame.

FMU scored once more in the fifth as Harkins scored all the way from second base on a sacrifice fly to deep right centerfield by freshman designated player Savana Rosson. Wingate added the game's final run on an RBI-double by center fielder Rebekah Woods in the sixth.

Patterson had three hits in game two, while Harkins and May had two hits apiece.

Bulldog freshman righty Raechel Cutcher (5-6) took the game-two loss as she pitched 4.2 innings and allowed all seven runs on nine hits.

Post-game comments from FMU head coach Stacey Vallee

Francis Marion Univ. 7, Wingate University 5 (Mar 07, 2020 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Wingate University..  002 000 3 -  5  7  1      (11-8)
Francis Marion Univ. 020 122 X -  7  9  3      (21-3)
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Pitchers: Wingate University - Aubrey Reep and Jordan Floyd. Francis Marion Univ. -
Katelyn Ellard and Sarah Harkins.
Win-Katelyn Ellard(13-3)  Loss-Aubrey Reep(6-3)  T-2:36  A-112
Weather: Sunny,53,Winds N @ 16 mph

Francis Marion Univ. 7, Wingate University 3 (Mar 07, 2020 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Wingate University..  011 001 0 -  3  6  0      (11-9)
Francis Marion Univ. 400 210 X -  7 10  1      (22-3)
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Pitchers: Wingate University - Raechel Cutcher; Aubrey Reep(5) and Jordan Floyd.
Francis Marion Univ. - Janecia Hemingway; Katelyn Ellard(4) and Sarah Harkins.
Win-Katelyn Ellard(14-3)  Loss-Raechel Cutcher(5-6)  T-2:03  A-0
HR FMU_SB - Ashtyn Patterson (1).
Weather: Sunny,58,Winds NNW@ 14 mph