DUE WEST, SC – Francis Marion University junior first baseman Savana Rosson hit three home runs to set a new single-season team record and drove in six runs as the Patriots split Monday afternoon's (April 25) Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader with Erskine College. The Flying Fleet built an early seven-run lead and held on for a 7-5 win in game one, while the Patriots easily captured the second contest by a 15-2 decision.
 
Francis Marion finished its regular season at 29-18 overall and 15-9 in conference play, and will enter this week's conference tournament as the fifth seed.  FMU will face fourth-seeded Belmont Abbey College on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Tyger River Park in Duncan, S.C.
 
Rosson's three long balls gives her 15 for the season, surpassing the previous season mark of 13 set by Jessica Harney in 2018.
 
In game two, FMU scored single tallies in the first and third innings, before exploding for nine runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth inning.
 
Junior right-hander Casey Kurent (10-4) was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion.  She worked five innings, giving up two runs on three hits, allowing one walk and striking out three.
 
At the plate, senior third baseman Ashtyn Patterson, junior shortstop Megan Matsil, and sophomore catcher Lauren Smallwood all registered three hits.  Smallwood drove in three runs, while Patterson and Matsil each recorded two RBIs.
 
Rosson, sophomore right fielder Katie Smith, and graduate student center fielder NaJah Gerrald all had two hits as FMU totaled 17 base hits.  Both Rosson and Smith drove in two runs.
 
An RBI single from Matsil scored Patterson in the first for a 1-0 lead.  A solo homer by Rosson upped the margin to 2-0 in the third frame.  The nine-run fourth inning included a two-run home run off the bat of sophomore designated player Grace Trautman and a two-run double by Smallwood.
 
In the Monday's opener, Erskine scored one run in the first inning and added six in the second to take a 7-0 advantage.  Rosson put Francis Marion on the board with a lead-off home run in the fourth. FMU added four runs in the seventh, including the record-setting three-run home run from Rosson and an RBI single by senior left fielder Danielle Karacson.
 
FMU junior righty Rachel Davis (11-7) was tagged with the loss as she surrendered five runs.  Senior right-hander Janecia Hemingway pitched the final 4.2 frames.
 
In addition to Rosson's two hits, Patterson and Smith both recorded two hits in game one.
 
 
Erskine 7, Francis Marion 5 (Apr 25, 2022 at Due West, SC) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 000 100 4 -  5  9  2      (28-18, 14-9 CC)
Erskine............. 160 000 X -  7 10  1      (13-25, 9-13 CC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Rachel Davis; Janecia Hemingway(2) and Lauren Smallwood. Erskine -
K. Ingle and A. Salois.
Win-K. Ingle(10-12)  Loss-Rachel Davis(11-7)  T-2:00  A-75
HR FMU_SB - Savana Rosson 2.
HR ERSKINE - B. Patterson.
 
GAME 1 NOTES
» Francis Marion got a two-homer day from Rosson.
» Francis Marion's power output was led by Rosson, who had two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Rosson drove in four runs for the Patriots.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed four runs across.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 30 Erskine hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and five fly balls while striking out three.
» Rosson led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI.
» Erskine was led offensively by B. Patterson, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
» Ingle led the Flying Fleet pitching staff, throwing seven innings of five-run ball.
 
Francis Marion 15, Erskine 2 (Apr 25, 2022 at Due West, SC) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 101 94 - 15 17  0      (29-18, 15-9 CC)
Erskine............. 000 02 -  2  3  1      (13-26, 10-13 CC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Casey Kurent and Lauren Smallwood. Erskine - B. Minton; K. Ingle(5);
M. Ballard(5) and P. Rabon.
Win-Casey Kurent(10-4)  Loss-B. Minton(1-4)  T-1:43  A-0
HR FMU_SB - Savana Rosson; Grace Trautman.
HR ERSKINE - F. Belue.
 
GAME 2 NOTES
» Francis Marion got three-hit games from three different hitters.
» The Patriots power output was led by Matsil, who had two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Danielle Karacson and Matsil drove in three runs each for the Patriots. » Every Francis Marion starter reached base safely in the win.
» Francis Marion's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed nine runs across.
» Francis Marion grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Six Patriots had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Patriots had a total of 17 hits.
» The Patriots out-hit the Flying Fleet at a 17-3 clip.
» Francis Marion went 11-for-14 (.786) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 19 Erskine hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and five fly balls while striking out three.
» The Patriots drew four walks from Erskine pitching.
» Rosson led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.
» Erskine was led offensively by F. Belue, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.