FLORENCE, SC – Senior left fielder Danielle Karacson delivered a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and a walk-off RBI-single in the eighth inning as Francis Marion University rallied to beat USC Aiken 7-6 on Sunday (Feb. 6) and earn a split of their non-conference softball doubleheader.  The Pacers won the opener 2-1.
 
Francis Marion (2-2) will play host to Queens University of Charlotte on Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a twinbill.
 
In Sunday's second contest, junior right-handed Casey Kurent (1-0) struck out 12 in a complete-game effort to earn her first decision as a Patriot.  She allowed six runs, three earned, on 10 hits while walking only one.
 
Karacson finished 3-for-3 with a single, double, home run, a walk, and the game's two most important RBIs. Her blast over the left field fence to lead off the seventh tied the contest at 4-4 and forced extra innings.  Then with one out and runners on the corners in the eighth frame, she lined a run-scoring single into the left-center field gap to score Lauren Smallwood with the winning run. 
 
Earlier in the extra frame, Smallwood blooped an RBI-single to right and graduate student NaJah Gerrald re-tied the game at 6-6 with a successful sacrifice squeeze bunt.
 
USCA had scored twice in the top of the eighth to assume a 6-4 advantage.
 
Patriot sophomore outfielder Katie Smith furnished a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Junior Megan Matsil also chipped in for Francis Marion, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double and an RBI.
 
Trailing 2-0, the Patriots score three times in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Smith.  The Patriots lost the lead when USCA scored single tallies in the second and fourth frames.
 
USCA freshman starter Lakyn Philips (1-1) pitched a complete game, but was tagged with the loss.
 
In the opening game, USCA scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of third to hand senior righty Janecia Hemingway (1-2) a hard-luck loss.  The Conway native went 6.2 innings, giving up the two unearned runs on four hits, allowing four walks and striking out three.
 
Offensively, the Patriots were led by senior Ashtyn Patterson, who went 1-for-1 with a double and a walk.
 
Patterson came across to score the lone run for Francis Marion in the sixth on a throwing error.
 
Pacer freshman left-hander Payton Baker (1-0) picked up the win in her collegiate debut.
 
 
GAME 1 NOTES
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed one run across.
» Francis Marion pitchers limited South Carolina Aiken to just 1-for-10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 30 South Carolina Aiken hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out three.
» Patterson led the Patriots at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a double.
» South Carolina Aiken was led offensively by sophomore Emily Ayers, who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Freshman Payton Baker led the Pacers pitching staff, throwing seven innings of one-run ball.
 
GAME 2 NOTES
» Karacson picked up three base hits in the game for Francis Marion.
» Kurent struck out 12 Pacers hitters.
» The Patriots power output was led by Karacson, who had two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Five Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots out-hit the Pacers at a 13-10 clip.
» Francis Marion went 7-for-20 (.350) with runners in scoring position.
» The Patriots got two hits in six at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 38 South Carolina Aiken hitters in the game, allowing zero ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out 12.
» The Patriots drew four walks from South Carolina Aiken pitching.
» Karacson led the Patriots at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBIs.
» South Carolina Aiken was led offensively by sophomore Jena Dewalt, who went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
» Philips led the Pacers pitching staff, throwing 7.1 innings of seven-run ball.