MILLEDGEVILLE, GA – Junior right fielder Hannah Schmidt batted 6-for-8, scored four times, and drove in five runs to lead Francis Marion University to a doubleheader sweep (13-3 in 5 innings and 9-3) of Georgia College, Thursday evening (March 25) in Peach Belt Conference softball play.
 
FMU evens its overall record at 8-8 with its fourth consecutive victory and is one of only three unbeaten teams (4-0) in the PBC.  The Patriots will play a conference twinbill at UNC Pembroke – the latest installment of the Battle for I-95 – on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
 
The Patriots scored seven runs in the third inning en route to invoking the 8-run mercy rule in game one.  Schmidt and junior first baseman Addie May each tallied three hits to back the seven-hit pitching of sophomore right-hander Rachel Davis (4-1).  Davis struck out only one, but did not walk a batter in the five-inning contest.
 
A two-out run-scoring single to left by May in the second frame staked the Patriots to a 1-0 lead.  An RBI-triple by Schmidt, an RBI-double by May, and a three-run double by sophomore second baseman Megan Matsil highlighted the third-inning outburst.
 
After the Bobcats drew to within 8-3, FMU plated five runs in the fifth.  The frame included two-run singles by both Schmidt and junior center fielder Danielle Karacson.
 
Georgia College (4-16, 0-6) starter MacKenzie Michels (2-5) was tagged with the loss.
 
In the second contest, the Bobcats struck first with two runs in the opening inning off Patriot sophomore righty Taylor Florea (4-3).  However, the Blanchester, Ohio native would recover and allow only four hits and one run over the final six frames.  She struck out six GC batters.
 
FMU immediately knotted the score at 2-2 in the second on RBI groundouts by junior third baseman Janecia Hemingway and junior designated player Taylor Lutian. Schmidt drilled a two-run double to center field in the third to put the Patriots on top 4-2.
 
After the Bobcats cut the margin to 4-3 in the fourth, Hemingway responded in the fifth with a two-out, two-run triple to right, increasing the FMU advantage to 6-3.  A two-run single by junior Chase Booker and a sacrifice fly by freshman Lauren Smallwood in the seventh accounted for the final FMU tallies.
 
Schmidt had three hits again in the second contest, while May and Karacson both had two hits.
 
Freshman southpaw Golden Thrower (0-7) was the losing pitcher.
 
Francis Marion 13, Georgia College 3 (3/25/2021 at Milledgeville, GA) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion......  017 05 - 13 10  1      (7-8, 3-0 PBC)
Georgia College..... 002 10 -  3  7  1      (4-15, 0-5 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Rachel Davis and Sarah Harkins; Lauren Smallwood.
Georgia College - MacKenzie Michels; Holly Phillips (3); Ally Black (5) and Haley Howell.
Win-Rachel Davis (4-1)  Loss-MacKenzie Michels (2-5)  T-2:20  A-60
Weather: Partially cloudy and 83 degree
 
Francis Marion 9, Georgia College 3 (3/25/2021 at Milledgeville, GA) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 022 020 3 -  9 13  1      (8-8, 4-0 PBC)
Georgia College..... 200 100 0 -  3  8  1      (4-16, 0-6 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Taylor Florea and Sarah Harkins; Lauren Smallwood.
Georgia College - Golden Thrower and Lauren Sommerer.
Win-Taylor Florea (4-3)  Loss-Golden Thrower (0-7)  T-2:37  A-75
Weather: Cloudy and 80 degrees