FRANKLIN SPRINGS, GA – Junior right fielder
Katie Smith drilled a tie-breaking two-run double as Francis Marion University captured game one 6-3, but a pair of grand slams by Emmanuel College resulted in a 10-5 Lions' victory in game two denying the Patriots a chance to take over first place, Sunday afternoon (Apr. 16) in Conference Carolinas softball play.
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Francis Marion, which had its nine-game winning streak snapped in the second contest, moves to 34-10 overall and 14-6 in conference, one game behind the first-place Lions (28-16, 15-5). FMU will play a conference twinbill at UNC Pembroke on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the final Battle of I-95 contest of the 2022-23 school year.
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In Sunday's opening contest, FMU freshman right-hander
Jenna Walling improved to 18-3 by tossing a five-hitter. She retired the final 12 Lions in order.
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Emmanuel took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by designated player Jaryn Gibson. FMU responded immediately with a solo home run by graduate student catcher
Reagan Glanz in the second.
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The Patriots took a 3-1 lead in the third after senior designated player
Savana Rosson belted a two-out, two-run homer to right field. However, Gibson retied the game at 3-3 with a two-run double in the bottom of the frame.
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Smith's two-out, two-run double to right field in the fifth put FMU ahead to stay. Senior second baseman
Megan Matsil added an insurance run in the seventh with a solo shot over the right field wall.
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Freshman third baseman
Madalyn White led Francis Marion at the plate with three hits, while senior first baseman
Taylor Watford and sophomore center fielder
Avery Bellai registered two hits each.
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Maddie Edwards (16-3) went the distance for Emmanuel and absorbed the loss. She came into the twinbill having thrown a conference-leading five shutouts.
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In the second game, junior shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson led off with a walk and eventually scored on a two-out double by Matsil. Run-scoring singles by Watford and Matsil in the third increased the advantage to 3-0.
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Gibson erased that advantage with one swing in the bottom of the third, a grand slam over the left centerfield wall. The Patriots rallied in their next half inning as Bellai and White both produced run-scoring doubles as FMU regained the lead at 5-4.
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A solo homer by Gibson leading off the fifth brought the Lions even at 5-5. Emmanuel then broke that tie with five runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a grand slam by catcher Kinsley Goolsby.
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Matsil homered in the top of the seventh to account for the final margin. The Indian Trail, N.C., native finished game-two 4-for-4 with a runs scored, a double, a homer, and three RBIs.
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Smith and Bellai had two hits apiece in the second contest. Patriot senior righty
Rachel Davis (13-7) was the losing pitcher as she came on in relief of starter
Jordan Rivera.
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The Patriots entered the doubleheader ranked among the top three nationally in Division II for team batting average (.377), scoring (8.05 runs per game), total hits, total runs, and on-base percentage.
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Francis Marion 6, Emmanuel 3 (Apr 16, 2023 at Franklin Springs, GA) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion...... 012 020 1 -Â 6 11Â 0Â Â Â Â Â (34-9, 14-5 CC)
Emmanuel............ 102 000 0 -Â 3Â 5Â 0Â Â Â Â Â (27-16, 14-5 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Jenna Walling and
Reagan Glanz. Emmanuel - M. Edwards and K. Goolsby.
Win-
Jenna Walling (18-3)Â Loss-Maddie Edwards (16-3)Â T-2:01Â A-172
HR FMU_SB -
Megan Matsil;
Savana Rosson;
Reagan Glanz.
Weather: Overcast, 70
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Emmanuel 10, Francis Marion 6 (Apr 16, 2023 at Franklin Springs, GA) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion...... 102 200 1 -Â 6 11Â 0Â Â Â Â Â (34-10, 14-6 CC)
Emmanuel............ 004 015 X - 10 11Â 0Â Â Â Â Â (28-16, 15-5 CC)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Jordan Rivera;
Rachel Davis(3);
Jenna Walling(6) and
Reagan Glanz.
Emmanuel - M. Kelley; K. Pickens(5) and K. Goolsby.
Win-Kaitlyn Pickens (6-6)Â Loss-
Rachel Davis (13-7)Â T-2:45Â A-169
HR FMU_SB -
Megan Matsil.
HR EC - J. Gibson 2; K. Goolsby.
Weather: Overcast, 67
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