FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University received a herculean pitching effort from junior right-hander Rachel Davis, but the Patriots fell to Lenoir-Rhyne University 5-3 in 13 innings, Saturday night (Feb. 26) on the second day of the Patriot Invitational Softball Tournament.  Earlier in the day, FMU defeated Kutztown University 13-1.
 
The tournament will conclude on Sunday with LRU playing Kutztown at 10 a.m. and FMU battling West Liberty University at noon.
 
For Francis Marion (10-9), Saturday's final game was the second longest in school history, bested only by the Patriots' 1-0 win over Barry University in the 2008 NCAA Division II World Series.
 
Davis (3-2) compiled the third-longest pitching stint in program history by going 12.1 innings.  She gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits while issuing three walks and striking out five.
 
Senior third baseman Ashtyn Patterson and sophomore right fielder Katie Smith each had two hits for FMU.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne junior righty Lauren Rakes (7-1) pitched 10.2 innings in relief and allowed no runs and only two hits, while fanning 17 batters.
 
The Patriots scored single runs in each of the first three frames.  Senior left fielder Danielle Karacson doubled home a run in the first, junior shortstop Megan Matsil walked with the bases loaded in the second, and graduate student center fielder NaJah Gerrald did the same in the third.
 
The Bears (13-5) knotted the game with three runs in the fourth and neither team would score again until the 13th inning.  Francis Marion left the bases loaded in the ninth and two on in the 11th.
 
LRU finally took the lead on an RBI-single by Savannah Moorefield, and catcher Kaylee Leonhardt later added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.  Using the international tiebreaker rule, FMU had the tying run at the plate in the bottom half of the frame, but could not manage a hit.
 
 
Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. 5, Francis Marion Univ. 3 (Feb 26, 2022 at Florence, SC)
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Lenoir-Rhyne Univ... 000 300 000 000 2 -  5  7  0      (13-5)
Francis Marion Univ. 111 000 000 000 0 -  3  6  1      (10-9)
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Pitchers: Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. - Morgan Beeler; Lauren Rakes(3) and Kylee Leonhardt.
Francis Marion Univ. - Rachel Davis; Casey Kurent(13) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Lauren Rakes(7-1)  Loss-Rachel Davis(3-2)  T-3:35  A-91
Weather: Overcast,59,Winds S@7mph
 
GAME NOTES
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the third, when it pushed one run across.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 52 Lenoir-Rhyne hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and 25 fly balls while striking out five.
» The Patriots drew nine walks from Lenoir-Rhyne pitching.
» Karacson led the Patriots at the plate, going 1-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
» Lenoir-Rhyne was led offensively by freshman Julia Mardigian, who went 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
» Rakes led the Bears pitching staff, throwing 10.2 shutout innings.