FLORENCE, SC - Junior right-handed pitcher Rachel Davis struck out a career-high 13 batters and sophomore right fielder Katie Smith tripled with the bases loaded to power Francis Marion University to a 4-1 win over 24th-ranked West Liberty University, Friday evening (Feb. 25) on the opening day of the Patriot Invitational Softball Tournament.
 
Francis Marion (9-8) will play twice on Saturday against Kutztown University at 1 p.m. and Lenoir-Rhyne University at 5 p.m.  Other tournament contests will take place at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.  Daily admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex is $10 for adults and $5 for students.
 
Davis (3-1) needed only 108 pitches to register her second complete game of the season.  She allowed only a first-inning run, four hits, and two walks.  At one point, she retired 13 batters in a row.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the first, the Patriots loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter.  With two outs, Smith rocketed a line drive to the right centerfield wall that scored all three runners.
 
Smith singled to lead off the FMU fourth frame.  She went to third on a double by freshman designated player Emma Moberg and then scored on a successful squeeze bunt by freshman second baseman Laurin Nodine to up the margin to 4-1.
 
Smith was the lone Patriot with multiple hits.  In addition to Moberg, junior shortstop Megan Matsil and senior left fielder Danielle Karacson had the other Francis Marion hits.
 
Senior righty Taylor Bonnett (0-1) was saddled with the loss.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 4, West Liberty Univ. 1 (Feb 25, 2022 at Florence, SC)
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West Liberty Univ.... 100 000 0 -  1  4  0      (0-2)
Francis Marion Univ. 300 100 X -  4  5  0      (9-8)
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Pitchers: West Liberty Univ. - Taylor Bonnett; Riley Bennington(4) and Makayla Blair.
Francis Marion Univ. - Rachel Davis and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Rachel Davis(3-1)  Loss-Taylor Bonnett(0-1)  T-1:49  A-177
Weather: cloudy, 84, 16 mph w east
 
GAME NOTES
» Davis struck out 13 Hilltoppers hitters.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the first, when it pushed three runs across.
» Francis Marion took a 3-1 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» The Patriots out-hit the Hilltoppers at a 5-4 clip.
» Francis Marion pitchers limited West Liberty to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 26 West Liberty hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and three fly balls while striking out 13.
» The Patriots drew four walks from West Liberty pitching.
» Smith led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs.
» West Liberty was led offensively by senior Katie Beeman, who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Senior Riley Bennington led the Hilltoppers pitching staff, throwing three innings of one-run ball.