PEMBROKE, NC – Francis Marion University senior shortstop Ashtyn Patterson recorded five hits, including a pair of home runs, but the Patriots lost both ends of a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday afternoon (April 14). The Braves won by scores of 9-4 and 6-4.
 
Francis Marion (9-13, 5-5) will play a pair of road twinbills this weekend: Saturday at Columbus State University, and Sunday at Georgia Southwestern State University.  Both doubleheaders will start at 1 p.m.
 
In the opener, UNCP (19-7, 7-1) scored three runs off Patriot starter Rachel Davis (5-3) in the first inning, and then tallied five runs in the second.  Patterson accounted for all of the FMU scores with a two-run homer to left field in the top of the fifth and a two-run shot to left center in the seventh.
 
Patterson finished game No.1 with three hits, while sophomore catcher Sarah Harkins had two.
 
Raygan Lawson (10-1) picked up the game-one win for UNCP.
 
Patterson led off game two with a single down the left field line.  She moved to second on a bunt single by Harkins and went to third on a UNCP error.  Freshman first baseman Lauren Smallwood then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to give FMU an early 1-0 lead.
 
Patriot sophomore right-hander Taylor Florea (4-5) made that run stand up through the first three innings.  In the fourth, the Braves pushed across four runs after two were out, and added two more scores in the fifth to take a 6-1 advantage.
 
The Patriot bats came alive in the sixth.  Freshman outfielder Katie Smith hit a one-out single and then scored on an RBI-double to right center field by sophomore second baseman Megan Matsil.  Junior Janecia Hemingway followed with an RBI-double also to right center.  After a fly out, senior outfielder Jordan Carlson doubled to drive in Hemingway and trim the margin to 6-4, and also facilitate a UNCP pitching change.
 
Francis Marion placed the potential tying runs on base in the seventh, but UNCP reliever Jordan Hall got the final out to earn her second save of 2021.
 
Florea pitched six innings in relief in game one and then went 3.2 innings in the second contest.
 
Braves starter Lauren Gammons (4-2) gained the game-two win after pitching 5.2 innings.
 
 
UNC Pembroke 9, Francis Marion 4 (Apr 14, 2021 at Pembroke, N.C.) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion......    000 020 2 -  4  8  3      (9-12, 5-4 PBC)
UNC Pembroke........ 351 000 X -  9  9  0      (18-7, 6-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Rachel Davis; Taylor Florea(1) and Sarah Harkins. UNC Pembroke -
Raygan Larson and Jordan Adcox.
Win-Raygan Larson (10-1)  Loss-Rachel Davis (5-3)  T-2:09  A-0
HR FMU_SB - Ashtyn Patterson 2 (5).
Weather: 80 degrees, sunny, S 13 mph
Davis faced 6 batters in the 1st.
 
UNC Pembroke 6, Francis Marion 4 (Apr 14, 2021 at Pembroke, N.C.) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 100 003 0 -  4  8  1      (9-13, 5-5 PBC)
UNC Pembroke........ 000 420 X -  6 12  1      (19-7, 7-1 PBC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Taylor Florea; Janecia Hemingway(4) and Sarah Harkins;
Lauren Smallwood. UNC Pembroke - Lauren Gammons; Jordan Hall(6) and Jordan Adcox.
Win-Lauren Gammons (4-2)  Save-Jordan Hall (2)  Loss-Taylor Florea (4-5)  T-2:30
Weather: Sunny, 83 degrees, S 13 mph