FLORENCE, SC – For the second time in eight days, junior right fielder
Katie Smith delivered a game-winning hit, this time a walk-off RBI infield single, to hand Francis Marion University a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Bloomsburg University, Sunday evening (Feb. 26) on the first day of the Swamp Fox Sizzler Softball Tournament.
Francis Marion improves to 12-2 with a pair of wins on Sunday. The tournament will conclude on Monday with Bloomsburg playing West Liberty University at 11 a.m., FMU facing Bloomsburg at 1:30 p.m., and the Patriots playing West Liberty at 4 p.m.
Admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and FMU students are admitted free with identification.
Smith delivered the key blow in a 5-4 win over Kutztown University last Sunday, and improved on that with the walk-off hit versus the Huskies.
She came to the plate with the score knotted at 3-3 and runners on the corners with no outs. She hit a bouncer that glanced off the glove of sophomore left-handed pitcher Kelly Eberly (0-1) and it deflected to the right side of the infield and Smith reached safely as senior first baseman
Taylor Watford scored the winning run from third.
The rally made a winner of FMU senior righty
Rachel Davis (4-2). She scattered seven hits, while walking only one and fanning four.
Smith, Watford, and freshman shortstop
Madalyn White all had two hits for the Patriots, while junior third baseman
Makayla Cuthbertson reached base four times (3 walks and a hit-by-pitch) and scored twice.
Bloomsburg (1-1) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as catcher Alex Iseminger drilled a two-run homer over the left field wall.
The Patriots cut that margin in half in the bottom of the frame as Cuthbertson walked, stole second, and came home on a two-out RBI-single through the right side by senior second baseman
Megan Matsil.
After the Huskies the advantage to two runs at 3-1, FMU scored a single run in the third. Cuthbertson again walked, moved to second on a bunt single by White, stole third, and scampered home on a bunt single by senior left fielder
Danielle Karacson.
The score remained 3-2 despite the Patriots stranding three runners in the fourth and two each in both the fifth and sixth innings.
In the decisive seventh frame, freshman pinch hitter
Anderson Thrower led off with a single back up the middle. Watford followed with a double to right center that plated Anderson with the tying run. Senior designated hitter
Savana Rosson then singled to left field moving Watford to third and setting the stage for Smith's heroics.
Earlier in the day, Francis Marion defeated West Liberty 5-1 as Smith hit a two-run homer.
Francis Marion Univ. 4, Bloomsburg Univ. 3 (Feb 26, 2023 at Florence, SC)
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Bloomsburg Univ..... 210 000 0 - 3 7 0 (1-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 101 000 2 - 4 11 1 (12-2)
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Pitchers: Bloomsburg Univ. - Kelly Eberly and Alex Iseminger. Francis Marion Univ. -
Rachel Davis and
Lauren Smallwood;
Reagan Glanz.
Win-
Rachel Davis(4-2) Loss-Kelly Eberly(0-1) T-2:09 A-100
HR BLOOM-S - Alex Iseminger (2).
Weather: Overcast,56,No wind
K. Eberly faced 4 batters in the 7th.
