SPARTANBURG, SC – Playing its first game in 10 days and having managed only one run in seven innings, Francis Marion University turned to junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson for a two-run extra-inning triple to win game one and then she opened game two with a solo homer as the Patriots swept a doubleheader from Converse University, Saturday afternoon (Apr. 15) in Conference Carolinas softball play.
 
Cuthbertson's triple keyed a 4-2 win in eight innings in the opener, and while in the second contest senior first baseman Taylor Watford homered twice and drove in a single-game record-tying eight runs as the Patriots posted their largest shutout win in program history 27-0.
 
Francis Marion has won eight consecutive games to improve to 33-9.  The Patriots are third in the conference standings at 13-5, a half-game out of second place and one game behind first-place Emmanuel College (Ga.), whom the Patriots will face on Sunday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
 
In Saturday's opener, Converse scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first and held that advantage until junior catcher Lauren Smallwood's sacrifice fly plated senior left fielder Danielle Karacson in the fifth to knot the score at 1-1.
 
The Patriots stranded two runs on base in the sixth and the contest would eventually go to extra innings.  In the top of the eighth, Cuthbertson laced a one-out, two-run triple to left field that put FMU ahead 3-1.  She would later score on an RBI-single to center field by freshman third baseman Madalyn White.
 
FMU did surrender one run in the bottom of the frame, but held on for the 4-2 victory.
 
Freshman right-hander Jenna Walling improved to 17-3 with a complete-game effort.  She allowed only three singles and both runs she surrendered were unearned.  She struck out seven and did not issue a walk.
 
Cuthbertson and senior second baseman Megan Matsil led the Patriots at the plate with two hits apiece.
 
Southpaw Victoria Dichio (2-6) was the losing pitcher in both games for the Valkyries (13-29, 4-14).
 
In the second game, FMU scored five runs in the first, 11 in the second, five in the third, and three runs each of the fourth and fifth innings.  The 27 total runs equals the Patriot single-game record set during a 27-4 win at Newberry College on March 23, 1980.  The shutout margin is a new school mark, eclipsing the old record of 21-0 against Claflin College on April 7, 1992.  The margin of victory was also a new program record.
 
Watford finished 4-for-4 with a single, triple, and two homers.  Her eight RBIs equals the school record set by Sam Chiudina against Fayetteville State University on March 23, 2018.
 
Matsil was 4-for-6 with a double and three runs scored, while White was 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs.  Graduate student catcher Reagan Glanz rapped out three hits, scored twice, and had two RBIs, while Cuthbertson had two hits, both two homers, scored three times and drove in four runs.  Karacson, senior designated player Savana Rosson, and junior right fielder Katie Smith all had two hits as well, including a home run by Smith.  Freshman Mikaela Goss also homered as the Patriots went deep six times to set another team record.
 
Cuthbertson led off the contest with a home run, and added a two-run shot in the second frame.  Watford had a two-run triple and a two-run homer in the 11-run second inning, and later hit a three-run shot in the third inning.
 
Freshman righty Jordan Rivera (3-0) made her first career start a winning effort.  She allowed only two singles, while fanning six in the five-inning affair.
 
 
Francis Marion 4, Converse 2 (Apr 15, 2023 at Spartanburg, S.C.) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion.... 000 010 03 -  4  8  1      (32-9, 12-5 CC)
Converse............ 100 000 01 -  2  3  1      (13-28, 4-13 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Jenna Walling and Lauren Smallwood; Reagan Glanz. Converse -
V. Dichio and M. Modica.
Win-Jenna Walling (17-3)  Loss-Victoria Dichio (2-5)  T-1:50  A-100
 
Francis Marion 27, Converse 0 (Apr 15, 2023 at Spartanburg, S.C.) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion.... 5(11)5 33 - 27 26  0      (33-9, 13-5 CC)
Converse............ 00   0 00 -  0  2  6      (13-29, 4-14 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Jordan Rivera and Reagan Glanz. Converse - V. Dichio; R. Summers(4); S. Ballard(4); E. Ingle(4); B. Roper(5) and M. Modica.
Win-Jordan Rivera (3-0)  Loss-Victoria Dichio (2-6)  T-2:30  A-100
HR FMU_SB - Makayla Cuthbertson 2; Taylor Watford 2; Mikaela Goss; Katie Smith.
R. Summers faced 4 batters in the 2nd.