FLORENCE, SC – Senior first baseman
Taylor Watford delivered a walk-off run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Francis Marion University a come-from-behind 7-6 win over visiting Limestone University, Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 7) in softball action. The Saints won game two 4-2 to earn a split of the non-conference doubleheader.
Francis Marion, now 4-1, will travel to play a twinbill at local-rival Coker University on Friday at 5 p.m. The next home games for FMU will be the Raines Company Softball Classic on Feb. 17 and 18.
In Wednesday's opener, the Patriots rallied from a 5-2 deficit to force extra innings by scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Watford hit a one-out double that hit the top of the wall, but stayed in the park. Watford then scored on an RBI-single by sophomore
Jenna Walling. Sophomore
Paige Strickland pinch ran for Walling, and junior second baseman
Peyton Gale followed with a double down the left field line. Senior right fielder
Katie Smith plated Strickland with a sacrifice fly and Gale scored the tying run on a two-out error by the Saints (5-1).
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings. Limestone took a 6-5 advantage after an RBI-grounder by shortstop faith Callaway in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore designated hitter
Emma Moberg knotted the score at 6-6 with a run-scoring single to left centerfield. With two outs and runners on second and third, Watford then blasted an 0-2 pitch from Limestone freshman right-hander Courtney Baldwin deep into the left-centerfield gap to easily score Moberg
Watford, Moberg, and junior shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson led the Patriots with two hits apiece. Moberg's effort included a two-run homer in the third inning.
Walling (3-0) came on in relief of FMU starter
Alyssa Poston and earned the win. She allowed only two hits and two unearned runs over seven innings of work with six strikeouts.
Baldwin (1-1) took the loss. Second baseman Katie Wilbur led the Saints with three hits, including a double and a homer, and three runs batted in.
In the second contest, Francis Marion was limited to three hits by Saints starter Breanna Clayton (2-0).
Junior left fielder
Emily Konz, who finished the game with all three Patriot hits, scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1, and she drove in the other run with a two-out RBI-single in the sixth.
FMU freshman right-hander
Abby Williams (0-1) was tagged with the hard-luck loss in her first collegiate start. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits with a trio of strikeouts.
Francis Marion Univ. 7, Limestone University 6 (Feb 07, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Limestone University 103 100 001 - 6 8 2 (4-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 002 003 002 - 7 9 2 (4-0)
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Pitchers: Limestone University - Chelsey Stonesifer; Courtney Baldwin(6) and Ragan Bristol.
Francis Marion Univ. -
Alyssa Poston;
Jenna Walling(3) and
Kendal Miller.
Win-
Jenna Walling(3-0) Loss-Courtney Baldwin(1-1) T-2:49 A-87
HR LUSB24 - Katie Wilbur (1); Santana Anderson (3).
HR FMU_SB -
Emma Moberg (1).
Weather: Clear,Sunny,56,Winds S@9 mph
Poston faced 3 batters in the 3rd.
Limestone University 4, Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Feb 07, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Limestone University 000 111 1 - 4 9 0 (5-1)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 101 0 - 2 3 2 (4-1)
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Pitchers: Limestone University - Breanna Clayton and Natalie Ruth. Francis Marion Univ. -
Abby Williams and
Kendal Miller.
Win-Breanna Clayton(2-0) Loss-
Abby Williams(0-1) T-1:56 A-0
