FLORENCE, SC – Graduate student center fielder NaJah Gerrald drilled an RBI-single to left-center field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Francis Marion University claimed a walk-off 6-5 victory over Mercy College (N.Y.), Friday night (Feb. 18) in the opening game of the Raines Company Softball Classic.
 
Play will continue on Saturday at the FMU Softball Stadium with four games: Mercy vs. Bloomsburg University at 11 a.m., FMU vs. Bloomsburg at 1 p.m., Mercy vs. Tusculum University at 3 p.m., and FMU vs. Tusculum at 5 p.m.  Admission to all games on Saturday is free.
 
Francis Marion improves to 5-6, while the Mavericks drop their season opener.
 
Junior Casey Kurent (3-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for FMU. The right-hander went 2.2 innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, on four hits, allowing one walk and striking out one. Junior Rachel Davis also made an impact in the circle for the Patriots, starting the ballgame and throwing 4.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits, with two walks and eight strikeouts.
 
Offensively, the Patriots were led by sophomore catcher Lauren Smallwood, who went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, a walk, and two RBIs. Junior first baseman Savana Rosson went 3-for-4 with a home run, while senior outfielder Danielle Karacson recorded a home run, two walks and an RBI.
 
Rosson staked Francis Marion to a 1-0 advantage in the third inning with a two-out solo homer off the scoreboard in left field.  After the Mavericks rallied to tie the ballgame in the top of the fifth, the Patriots came back to retake the lead in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore right fielder Katie Smith led off with a line-drive single to center and she circled the bases when the ball got pass the Mercy outfielder.  Karacson followed with a solo shot over the left field wall, giving the Patriots a 3-1 lead.
 
The margin disappeared in the sixth inning when Mercy plated four runs to go up 5-3. The  Patriots trimmed the deficit to 5-4 on an opposite field homer by Smallwood in the bottom of the sixth.
 
In the seventh, Karacson walked and Rosson singled.  After freshman Angelle Siders pinch ran for Rosson, both runners moved up a base on sacrifice bunt by senior Janecia Hemingway.  Junior shortstop Megan Matsil walked to load the bases and Smallwood walked to force in the tying run. After a pop out, Gerrald laced the first pitch she saw into the left-center field gap scoring Siders with the winning run.
 
Mercy reliever Angelina Oquendo (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
 
 
GAME NOTES
» Francis Marion got three-hit games from both Smallwood and Rosson.
» Davis struck out eight Mavericks hitters.
» The Patriots power output was led by Smallwood, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Every Francis Marion starter reached base safely in the win.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed two runs across.
» Francis Marion hitters hit three homers in the ballgame.
» The Patriots out-hit the Mavericks at an 11-8 clip.
» Francis Marion pitchers limited Mercy to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 34 Mercy hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out nine.
» The Patriots drew seven walks from Mercy pitching.
» Smallwood led the Patriots at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs.
» Mercy was led offensively by senior Alexis Crawford, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 6, Mercy College (NY) 5 (Feb 18, 2022 at Florence, SC)
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Mercy College (NY).. 000 014 0 -  5  8  1      (0-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 001 021 2 -  6 11  3      (5-6)
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Pitchers: Mercy College (NY) - Benson, Alexi; Oquendo, Angelina(6); Gonzalez, Sabrina(7) and
Crawford, Alexis. Francis Marion Univ. - Rachel Davis; Casey Kurent(5) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Casey Kurent (3-1)  Loss-Oquendo, Angelina (0-1)  T-2:33  A-71
HR FMU_SB - Danielle Karacson (3); Savana Rosson (3); Lauren Smallwood (1).
Weather: Mostly Clear,76,Winds WSW@21 m
Benson faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Oquendo faced 2 batters in the 7th.