FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore right fielder Katie Smith returned to the Francis Marion University line-up after a short absence and responded with four hits, three runs scored, and one run driven in as the Patriots split their Thursday afternoon (April 14) Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader with UNC Pembroke.  The Braves won the opener 10-2 in six innings and FMU rebounded with a 6-5 victory in game two.
  
Francis Marion moves to 25-16 overall and 11-7 in conference play.  FMU will play at Erskine College on Tuesday at 1 p.m., before returning home to host Converse University on Senior Day, April 20, at 4 p.m.
 
Junior right-hander Rachel Davis (10-5) earned both pitching decisions for Francis Marion. She won the second contest with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.   She struck out two and allowed only one hit.
 
The Patriots earned the split by breaking a 5-5 deadlock in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Graduate student center fielder NaJah Gerrald opened the frame by reaching on a fielding error.  She advanced to second on a controversial passed ball and took third on a pop out down the right field line.  Smith then hammered a grounder that evaded the UNCP shortstop and Gerrald scampered home.
 
Senior left fielder Danielle Karacson led FMU with three hits, while junior infielder Megan Matsil, junior designated player Savana Rosson, and Smith all had two hits in the second contest.
 
Smith, who has a nine-game hitting streak, also contributed a long running catch on the warning track in the second inning to eliminated a lead-off double.
 
The Braves (20-14, 9-9) scored twice in the top of the first off FMU starter Janecia Hemingway.  FMU answered with three runs in the third as Rosson drove home one with a high drive off the right field wall and Matsil plated two with a double to left.
 
FMU scored twice in the fourth to up the margin to 5-1.  Senior infielder Ashtyn Patterson walked with two outs and scored on Smith's RBI double.  Two batters later, Smith crossed home plate on a bloop single to right-center field by Rosson.
 
UNCP tied the game with three runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double by center fielder Emily Biddle – who ended the day with six RBIs in the twinbill.
  
In Thursday's opener, Biddle drilled a pair of two-run homers and third baseman Emily Rose added a two-run shot of her own as the Braves never trailed.
 
FMU did trim the deficit to 2-1 in the second inning as Smith scored on a Brave throwing error.
 
The Patriots' other tally came in the bottom of the sixth when Hemingway drilled a solo homer run over the left-center field wall for her third long ball in the past week.
 
Smith was the only Patriot with multiple hits in game one.
 
UNCP freshman righty Kinsley Sheppard (10-5) limited FMU to only four hits to earn the win.
 
Davis started for FMU and went the first three innings, while junior right-hander Casey Kurent pitched the final three frames.

 
 
UNC Pembroke 10, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Apr 14, 2022 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNC Pembroke........ 201 232  - 10  9  2      (20-13, 9-8 CC)
Francis Marion Univ. 010 001  -  2  4  4      (24-16, 10-7 CC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNC Pembroke - Kinsley Sheppard and Jordan Adcox. Francis Marion Univ. -
Rachel Davis; Casey Kurent(4) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Kinsley Sheppard(10-5)  Loss-Rachel Davis(9-5)  T-2:08  A-66
HR UNCP - Emily Biddle 2 (7); Emily Rose (3).
HR FMU_SB - Janecia Hemingway (3).
Weather: Overcast,81,Winds NE @ 14 mph
Davis faced 2 batters in the 4th.
 
GAME 1 NOTES
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed one run across.
» Francis Marion pitchers limited North Carolina-Pembroke to just 2-for-10 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 34 North Carolina-Pembroke hitters in the game, allowing one ground balls and 12 fly balls while striking out five.
» Hemingway led the Patriots at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
» North Carolina-Pembroke was led offensively by senior Emily Biddle, who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI.
» Sheppard led the Braves pitching staff, throwing six innings of two-run ball.
 
Francis Marion Univ. 6, UNC Pembroke 5 (Apr 14, 2022 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
UNC Pembroke........ 200 030 0 -  5  8  3      (20-14, 9-9 CC)
Francis Marion Univ. 003 201 X -  6 10  2      (25-16, 11-7 CC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UNC Pembroke - Madison Dyson and Jordan Adcox. Francis Marion Univ. -
Janecia Hemingway; Rachel Davis(5) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Rachel Davis(10-5)  Loss-Madison Dyson(7-5)  T-2:17
Weather: Mostly Cloudy,82,Winds NE@12mp
 
GAME 2 NOTES
» Karacson had three base hits in the game for Francis Marion.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the third, when it pushed three runs across.
» Four Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots out-hit the Braves at a 10-8 clip.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 31 North Carolina-Pembroke hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out three.
» Matsil led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
» North Carolina-Pembroke was led offensively by senior Emily Biddle, who went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
» Sophomore Madison Dyson led the Braves pitching staff, throwing six innings of six-run ball.