FLORENCE, SC – Senior first baseman Taylor Watford hit a first-inning three-run homer to back the four-hit pitching of sophomore left-hander Alyssa Poston as Francis Marion University defeated 25th-ranked Lenior-Rhyne University 3-1 en route to a split of a non-conference softball doubleheader on Wednesday evening (Feb. 28).  The Bears captured a 6-4 extra-inning victory in the nightcap.
 
Francis Marion, now 14-5, will host Catawba College for a twinbill on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
In Wednesday's opening game, Poston (8-1) blanked the Bears until allowing a seventh-inning solo homer by catcher Lani Warren.  She struck out six batters and issued only one walk.
 
In the bottom of the first, junior left fielder Emily Konz walked and sophomore third baseman Madalyn White flared a single down the left field line.  Watford followed with a drive over the left-center field wall – her sixth long ball of the season – for an immediate 3-0 lead. 
 
The Patriots managed only one more hit, a double by Watford in the sixth, off LRU starter Lauren Rakes (4-3).
 
Watford and Poston both attended Hartsville High School.
 
In the second contest, FMU again built a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first, second, and fifth innings. White delivered an RBI single in the fifth, and finished the game with two hits.
 
The Bears (15-5) tallied two runs in the sixth and tied the game on a seventh-inning pinch-hit homer by Rakes.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne scored three times in the top of the eighth off Poston – a three-run blast by shortstop Katelyn Rackard – and the Patriots could manage only an RBI groundout by Watford in the bottom of the frame.
 
FMU freshman right-hander Abby Williams (0-2) started and then finished game two and pitched 7.2 innings.  She surrendered five runs, four earned, on 10 hits with two strikeouts.
 
LRU sophomore righty Faith Carrigan (2-1) earned the complete-game win by allowing only four hits and fanning eight.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 3, #25 Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. 1 (Feb 28, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Lenoir-Rhyne Univ... 000 000 1 -  1  4  0      (14-5)
Francis Marion Univ. 300 000 X -  3  3  0      (14-4)
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Pitchers: Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. - Lauren Rakes and Lani Warren. Francis Marion Univ. -
Alyssa Poston and Kendal Miller.
Win-Alyssa Poston (8-1)  Loss-Lauren Rakes (4-3)  T-1:46  A-65
HR LR - Lani Warren (2).
HR FMU_SB - Taylor Watford (6).
Weather: Partly Cloudy,76,Wind NE@19mph
 
 
#25 Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. 6, Francis Marion Univ. 4 (Feb 28, 2024 at Florence, SC)  (Game 2)
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Lenoir-Rhyne Univ... 000 002 13 -  6 11  2      (15-5)
Francis Marion Univ. 110 010 01 -  4  4  1      (14-5)
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Pitchers: Lenoir-Rhyne Univ. - F. Carrigan and L. Warren. Francis Marion Univ. - Abby Williams;
Alyssa Poston(6) and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Faith Carrigan (2-1)  Loss-Abby Williams (0-2)  T-2:15
HR LR - L. Rakes (5); K. Rackard (1).
Weather: Partly Cloudy,77,Wind NE@18mph