WILSON, NC – Senior left fielder Danielle Karacson came within a triple of hitting for the cycle while driving in a trio of two-out runs to help lead Francis Marion University to a 10-2 win over Barton College in the opening game of Tuesday's (April 12) Conference Carolina softball doubleheader.  The Bulldogs earned a split with a 1-0 walk-off victory in the second contest.
  
Francis Marion moves to 24-15 overall and 10-6 in conference play.  FMU will return home to entertain UNC Pembroke on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the latest installment of the Battle for I-95.
 
Karacson finished game one 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three driven in.  Sophomore catcher Lauren Smallwood also registered three hits, including a double, and she scored once and had two RBIs.  Graduate student center fielder NaJah Gerrald added two hits, an RBI, and two runs scored.
 
Junior right-hander Rachel Davis (9-4) recorded the complete-game win.  She allowed only the two runs on three hits, while fanning seven.
 
Smallwood broke a scoreless deadlock in the top of the fourth with a two-out double that plated freshman designated player Emma Moberg.  After Barton's Emily Bell evened the score with a solo homer in the bottom of the frame, the Patriots pushed across four runs in the top of the fifth – all crossing home with two outs.
 
Karacson drove home the first tally with a double to right center, and later senior third baseman Janecia Hemingway, Moberg, and Smallwood all contributed run-scoring singles.
 
Karacson smacked a solo homer in the top of the sixth and capped the team's four-run outburst in the seventh with an RBI-single.  A run-scoring single by Gerrald and a two-run double by senior shortstop Ashtyn Patterson accounted for the other runs in the seventh.
 
Barton's Rilee Jones (7-4) was saddled with the loss.


Bell's two-out single to center in the bottom of the seventh gave the Bulldogs a split and handed FMU a tough loss.
 
Junior righty Casey Kurent (9-4) came out of the bullpen and was the losing pitcher.  Hemingway made the start for the Patriots and tossed four shutout innings, allowing only three hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
 
Barton's Miranda Holmes limited the Patriots to just two hits, while striking out nine. Karacson and junior first baseman Savana Rosson accounted for the two hits.  Rosson's hit was a two-out double in the sixth, but a pinch runner for her was stranded there as Francis Marion did not advance a runner past second base.
 

GAME 1 NOTES
» Francis Marion got three-hit games from both Smallwood and Karacson.
» Davis struck out seven Bulldogs hitters.
» The Patriots power output was led by Karacson, 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 four runs across.
» The Patriots out-hit the Bulldogs at a 12-3 clip.
» Francis Marion went 8-for-13 (.615) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 25 Barton hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Patriots drew five walks from Barton pitching.
» Karacson led the Patriots at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and three RBI.
» Barton was led offensively by Emily Bell, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
 
GAME 2 NOTES
» Francis Marion pitchers limited Barton to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 28 Barton hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and four fly balls while striking out five.
» Rosson led the Patriots at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a double.
» Barton was led offensively by Emily Bell, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
» Holmes led the Bulldogs pitching staff, throwing seven shutout innings.