Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore catcher
Kendal Miller and senior first baseman
Taylor Watford both registered walk-off run-scoring singles in extra innings as Francis Marion University swept a non-conference doubleheader from visiting Georgia College & State University, Sunday afternoon (March 10) in softball play. FMU won the opener 3-2 and was victorious 2-1 in the second contest.
Francis Marion improves to 20-7 and will host Lee University (Ten.) for a Spring Break doubleheader on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex is $10 for adults and $5 for students, with FMU students being admitted free with identification.
In the game-one win, FMU sophomore southpaw
Alyssa Poston (11-2) continued her strong pitching. She surrendered only one earned run on two hits in the eighth-inning contest and she fanned eight without issuing a walk. The Hartsville native has now gone 32 innings without walking a batter, while striking out 44 during that same span.
The Bobcats took a 1-0 lead on a solo homer by first baseman Jessica Owens in the fourth inning. FMU found the equalizing run in the bottom of the seventh. Senior right fielder
Katie Smith doubled to right center to open the frame. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore center fielder
Mikaela Goss and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson.
GCSU scored its tie-breaker runner in the top of the eighth on a Patriot throwing error. However, in the bottom of the inning FMU scored twice off Bobcat reliever Golden Thrower (1-2) to earn the walk-off victory.
Junior left fielder
Emily Konz was the FMU tie-breaker runner placed on second. She moved to third on an infield single by Watford and scored on an RBI-ground out by junior second baseman
Peyton Gale. Sophomore
Paige Strickland, pinch running for Watford, moved to second on the ground out and then to third on a ground out by sophomore designated hitter
Emma Moberg. Miller then lined a 3-2 pitch back up the middle for a single to score Strickland for the win.
Watford, Smith, and sophomore third baseman
Madalyn White all recorded two hits for the Patriots.
In the second game, FMU freshman right-hander
Abby Williams (1-3) earned her first collegiate win. She surrendered only one run on three hits with four strikeouts.
Both teams scored in the fifth inning. The Bobcats (13-12) took a 1-0 lead on an RBI-ground out by right fielder Lauren Rule, but FMU answered immediately with a run-scoring ground out by White.
In the extra-inning, Williams denied GCSU from plating its tie-breaker runner and then in the bottom of the frame, Watford lined the first pitch she saw from Jana Sheelhorse off the left-center field wall to score Konz from second base.
Cuthbertson registered three hits in game two, while Watford and Goss had two apiece.
Francis Marion Univ. 3, Georgia College 2 (Mar 10, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Georgia College...... 000 100 01 - 2 2 0 (13-11)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 000 12 - 3 9 1 (19-7)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Georgia College - Tiffany Caban; Golden Thrower(8) and Karlie Gutierrez.
Francis Marion Univ. -
Alyssa Poston and
Lauren Smallwood.
Win-
Alyssa Poston (11-2) Loss-Golden Thrower (1-2) T-1:48 A-102
HR GCSU – Jessica Owens (2).
Weather: Sunny,60,WNW 15 MPH
Francis Marion Univ. 2, Georgia College 1 (Mar 10, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Georgia College...... 000 010 00 - 1 3 1 (13-12)
Francis Marion Univ. 000 010 01 - 2 8 0 (20-7)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Georgia College - Jana Shellhorse and Samantha Wilson. Francis Marion Univ. -
Abby Williams and
Kendal Miller.
Win-
Abby Williams (1-3) Loss-Jana Shellhorse (4-5) T-1:30
Weather: Sunny,66, WNW 17 MPH
Shellhorse faced 1 batter in the 8th.
