DUNCAN, SC – Sophomore designated player Grace Trautman drilled a run-scoring single back up the middle to plate the go-ahead run as fifth-seeded Francis Marion University rallied for a 6-2 victory over third-seeded Barton College, Friday evening (April 29) in an elimination game of the 2022 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament.
 
Francis Marion (31-19) advances to play fourth-seeded Belmont Abbey College in an elimination game on Saturday at noon at Duncan's Tyger River Park.  This will be a rematch of Thursday's opening-round game that saw FMU beat the Crusaders 4-1.  The Patriots need two victories on Saturday to play in Sunday's championship contest.
 
On Friday, the Patriots trailed 2-0 to Barton after two innings, but scored six unanswered runs over the final three frames.
 
Junior right-hander Rachel Davis (13-7) earned the win with a complete-game effort.  She surrendered only one earned run and seven hits, while fanning four and issuing no walks.
 
Senior left fielder Danielle Karacson and junior second baseman Megan Matsil both went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead FMU.
 
The Patriots began their rally in the fifth when Matsil doubled and later scored on a two-out Bulldog fielding error.  FMU knotted the game at 2-2 in the sixth as Karacson doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch, and came home on two-out RBI-single to center by Matsil.
 
The rally concluded in the decisive seventh inning as Francis Marion scored four times in the top of the final frame.  Senior third baseman Janecia Hemingway led off with a double and was pinch run for by sophomore Amaya Hush. Trautman followed with her RBI-single to put FMU up 3-2.  With two outs, senior shortstop Ashtyn Patterson doubled.  She then scored on a single by sophomore right fielder Katie Smith, who then scored on Karacson's second double. Karacson scored the final run when junior first baseman Savana Rosson singled through the left side.
 
Barton relief pitcher Gracelyn Massey (4-1) was saddled with the loss as the Bulldogs end their season at 29-12.
 
 
Francis Marion 6, Barton College 2 (Apr 29, 2022 at Duncan, S.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 000 011 4 -  6 10  2      (31-19)
Barton College...... 110 000 0 -  2  7  4      (29-12)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Rachel Davis and Lauren Smallwood. Barton College - Miranda Holmes;
Gracelyn Massey(7); Kierstin Cooper(7) and McCrae Knapp.
Win-Rachel Davis(13-7)  Loss-Gracelyn Massey(4-1)  T-2:06  A-128
Weather: 77, sunny, wind out to CF
 
GAME NOTES
» 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 seventh, when it pushed four runs across.
» The Patriots out-hit the Bulldogs at a 10-7 clip.
» Francis Marion went 5-for-15 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Francis Marion pitchers faced 29 Barton hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out four.
» Karacson led the Patriots at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
» Barton was led offensively by freshman Kandyce Condrey, who went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.