WINGATE, NC – A no-out run-scoring single to center field by shortstop Heaven Maness in the bottom of the ninth inning plated the winning run as second-seeded and 17th-ranked Wingate University edged seventh-seeded Francis Marion University 7-6, Friday evening (May 12) in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Southeast Sub-Regional Softball Tournament.
 
Francis Marion, which defeated Carson-Newman University 5-3 earlier in the day to advance to face the host Bulldogs (46-16), ends its season 42-13.  The 42 victories equals the most in program history, previously accomplished by the 1987 squad that went 42-4 and lost in the NAIA National championship game.
 
Senior second baseman Megan Matsil and junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson led FMU with two hits apiece.  Matsil finished the season with a program-record 81 hits, one more than Cuthbertson.
 
Patriot freshman right-hander Jenna Walling (20-4) absorbed the tough-luck loss.  She hurled the final six innings after relieving senior right-hander Rachel Davis in the third inning.  Davis had already thrown a complete-game on Friday in the victory over Carson-Newman.
 
Walling surrendered three runs – only one was earned – on six hits with five strikeouts.
 
The game-deciding outburst in the bottom of the ninth was aided by a bad-hop grounder that turned a potential double play into first and second with no outs, and allowed for Maness to deliver the clutch hit.
 
Right-hander Raechel Cutcher (15-8), who shutout Francis Marion with a one-hitter yesterday, earned the win with eight innings of relief work.  She allowed four runs on seven hits.
 
Francis Marion knocked Bulldog starter Danielle Kirchhofer from the game with two runs in the second inning.  After putting two runners in the first, but not scoring, FMU did change the scoreboard in the second.  Junior right fielder Katie Smith drove in the first run with an RBI-single to left, and then Smith and graduate student catcher Reagan Glanz executed a double steal with Glanz crossing home plate for a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Patriots took a 3-0 lead in the third.  Senior first baseman Taylor Watford and Matsil both doubled to start the inning – with both balls hitting near the top of the wall – and senior designated player Savana Rosson drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.
 
Wingate answered back with four runs in the bottom of the third, the final three coming in on a home run to left center by second baseman Savanna Brooks.
 
Francis Marion regained the lead in the fifth when Glanz drove a two-out, two-run single to right field.  However, the Bulldogs evened score at 5-5 with a single run in the bottom of the frame.
 
Both teams scored in the seventh.  The Patriots got a two-out solo homer from senior left fielder Danielle Karacson, her 14th long ball of the year, the second highest season total in program history.  It also extended her single-season record RBI total to 65.  Ironically, Karacson homered in her first at bat as a Patriot on Feb. 2, 2019, at the University of Mount Olive and this would be her final trip to the plate in the red, white, and blue.
 
Wingate staved off elimination in the bottom of the seventh as first baseman Hannah Reeves delivered a two-out run-scoring single to center to again knot the score, this time at 6-6.
 
Both teams were retired in order in the eighth.  In the FMU ninth, Cuthbertson led off with a single and eventually got to second with outs, but was stranded there.
 
 
 
#17 Wingate 7, Francis Marion 6 (May 12, 2023 at Wingate, N.C.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion...... 021 020 100  -  6  9  3      (42-13)
Wingate............... 004 010 101  -  7  9  1      (46-16)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion - Rachel Davis; Jenna Walling(3) and Reagan Glanz. Wingate -
Danielle Kirchhofer; Raechel Cutcher(2) and Hannah Stevens.
Win-Raechel Cutcher(15-8)  Loss-Jenna Walling(20-4)  T-2:50  A-414
HR FMU_SB - Danielle Karacson (14).
HR WU - Savanna Brooks (15).
Weather: 83 degrees, sunny
Kirchhofer faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
Davis faced 4 batters in the 3rd.
Walling faced 3 batters in the 9th.