AUGUSTA, GA – Francis Marion University senior first baseman Taylor Watford hit three home runs to tie a school record and drove in six runs as the Patriots defeated Augusta University 14-10, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 4) in non-conference softball action.
 
The second game was cancelled by rain after the Patriots took a 5-1 lead in the third inning thanks to a pair of two-run doubles by Watford.
 
Francis Marion (3-0) will play host to Limestone University for a doubleheader on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the FMU Softball Stadium.
 
Watford became only the second Patriot to hit three home runs in a game, joining Kelly Kermode who accomplished the feat in 1998 against Newberry College. Watford drove in the Patriots' first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, hit a solo homer in the third, and two-run shots in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Watford's 12 total bases are second most in program history (behind Kermode's 13), and equal her career high set last season against Converse University.  Watford is a native of Lamar and a Hartsville High School product.
 
Senior right fielder Katie Smith also collected three hits for FMU, including a three-run homer that was part of a five-run sixth-inning outburst that snapped a 6-6 deadlock.  Senior catcher Lauren Smallwood and junior left fielder Emily Konz both had two hits.
 
Sophomore right-hander Jenna Walling (2-0) relieved FMU starter Alyssa Poston in the third inning and picked up the victory.  She struck out six and did not issue a walk.
 
Four different Jaguars homered as the two teams combined for 26 hits and eight home runs.
 
Freshman Madalyn Spinks (1-1) was tagged with the loss.
 
Trailing 4-1 entering the third inning, Watford went deep to left and junior second baseman Peyton Gale later cleared the bases with a three-run double to left centerfield giving FMU a 5-4 advantage.  The Jaguars answered back with two runs in the bottom of the frame.
 
An RBI-single by Konz in the fifth knotted the score at 6-6.  The five-run sixth put Francis Marion ahead 11-6, but Augusta scored three times in the bottom half to draw within 11-9.
 
Watford's final homer in the seventh, along with a two-out RBI-double by Walling accounted for insurance runs as Augusta tallied one run in the bottom of the final inning.
 
 
Francis Marion 14, Augusta 10 (2/4/2024 at Jaguar Field)
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Francis Marion...... 104 015 3 - 14 13  1      (3-0)
Augusta................. 402 003 1 - 10 13  3      (3-2)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion - Alyssa Poston; Jenna Walling(3) and Lauren Smallwood. Augusta - A. Bolinger; M. Spinks(5) and P. Patterson.
Win-Jenna Walling(2-0)  Loss-M. Spinks(1-1)  T-2:45  A-50
HR FMU_SB - Taylor Watford 3; Katie Smith.
HR AUGUSTA - P. Patterson; B. Roberts; C. Winder; N. Ross.
Poston faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
M. Spinks faced 4 batters in the 6th.