FLORENCE, SC – Senior first baseman Taylor Watford homered twice and drove in eight runs, while sophomore left-hander Alyssa Poston tossed a two-hit shutout as Francis Marion University swept a doubleheader from Lee University (winning 8-0 and 10-8), Tuesday afternoon (March 12) in non-conference softball action.
 
Francis Marion has won four straight to improve to 22-7.  FMU returns to Conference Carolinas play this weekend as the Patriots travel to Chowan University on Saturday for a noon doubleheader.
 
In game one, two walks and a hit batter proceeded Watford's first homer of the day, a grand slam over the right-center field wall in the bottom of the third that broke open a scoreless game. 
 
FMU invoked the eight-run mercy rule by scoring four more times in the fifth.  Sophomore designated hitter Emma Moberg drilled a two-run single to left center field and a pair of Patriots scored on wild pitches.
 
Poston, the three-time Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week, retired the first 13 batters she faced before Laney Harris lined a clean single down the left field line in the top of the fifth.
 
Poston (12-2) finished with six strikeouts and ran her string of innings without issuing a walk to 37 (during which she has fanned 50).
 
Lee junior right-hander Alaina Watson (1-4) was tagged with the loss.  Three Lady Flame pitchers held Francis Marion to only four hits, but walked six.
 
In the second contest, Watford collected two hits, including her second home run of the day, and drove in four runs.  Junior left fielder Emily Konz went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while sophomore third baseman Madalyn White had two hits, two runs scored, and three driven in.  Junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson also registered two hits.
 
Sophomore righty Jenna Walling (9-2) earned the win with five innings of relief work behind starter Abby Williams.  Walling struck out seven and allowed three earned runs on eight hits.
 
Lee (9-9) scored once in the top of the first, but the Patriots answered with three in their half of the frame.  FMU junior second baseman Peyton Gale drove in the first run with a single through the left side, and a second run scored on a throwing error on the same play.  Moberg plated the third run with a sacrifice fly.
 
Both teams scored twice in the third inning.  Francis Marion's tallies came when Watford hit a towering shot off the left field fair/foul pole.
 
After the Lady Flames knotted the score at 5-5 in the top of the fourth, White's run-scoring single in the bottom of the fourth regained the advantage for the Patriots at 6-5.
 
Two-run singles by White and Watford highlighted a four-run fifth frame that upped Francis Marion's lead to 10-5.  Lee scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh to draw within 10-8, but Walling stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout to end the contest.  
 

 
Francis Marion Univ. 8, Lee University 0 (Mar 12, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lee University.......... 000 00 -  0  2  1      (9-8)
Francis Marion Univ. 004 04 -  8  4  0      (21-7)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Lee University - Alaina Watson; Hayden Gardner(3); Katie Willoughby(5) and
Hailey Simco. Francis Marion Univ. - Alyssa Poston and Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Alyssa Poston (12-2)  Loss-Alaina Watson (1-4)  T-1:30  A-55
HR FMU_SB - Taylor Watford (7).
Weather: Clear,Sunny,56,Wind E @ 5 mph
Willoughby faced 1 batter in the 5th.
 
Francis Marion Univ. 10, Lee University 8 (Mar 12, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lee University.......... 102 202 1 -  8 13  1      (9-9)
Francis Marion Univ. 302 140 X - 10 12  3      (22-7)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Lee University - Olivia Tyson; Abigial Welbaum(4) and Ashley Fields; Rylie Goodridge.
Francis Marion Univ. - Abby Williams; Jenna Walling(3) and Kendal Miller; Marlee McCormick.
Win-Jenna Walling (9-2)  Loss-Abigial Welbaum (1-3)  T-2:29
HR LEE - Bella Galloway (4).
HR FMU_SB - Taylor Watford (8).
Weather: Clear,Sunny,68,Wind NE @ 7 mph
A.Williams faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
Tyson, O. faced 2 batters in the 3rd.