FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore left-hander Alyssa Poston and sophomore righty Jenna Walling registered complete-game efforts and sophomore third baseman Madalyn White collected five hits as Francis Marion University swept a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader from Emmanuel University (Ga.) on Monday (March 25), winning 5-0 and 9-4.
 
Francis Marion ups its overall record to 29-8 and its conference mark to 8-2.  The Patriots will play a non-conference twinbill at USC Beaufort on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
 
In game one, Poston (16-3) scattered five hits, struck out two, and walked only one while needing only 86 pitches to record her seventh shutout of the year.
 
Emmanuel senior right-hander Maddie Edwards (6-6) retired the first nine Patriots she faced and held FMU scoreless for four innings.  Francis Marion finally broke through in the fifth frame to take a 1-0 lead.  Sophomore catcher Kendal Miller reached on a one-out fielding error, and after a fly out, scored all the way from first base on a double by junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson.
 
FMU exploded for four runs in the sixth inning.  White led off with a triple and scored on a squeeze bunt by junior left fielder Emily Konz.  Later in the frame, senior right fielder Katie Smith and sophomore designated player Emma Moberg hit back-to-back sacrifice flies and Miller completed the scoring with an RBI-double.
 
White had two of the Patriots' four hits in the opener.
 
Francis Marion scored three times in the opening inning of game two against Lions' starter Macy Kelley (4-8).  White and Konz both singled ahead of an RBI-single by senior first baseman Taylor Watford.  Konz later scored on a fielding error and junior second baseman Peyton Gale stole home for the third tally.
 
Smith, who was 4-for-4 in the second contest, upped the advantage to 4-0 with a run-scoring single to right field in the third frame.
 
After Emmanuel (14-19, 3-7) scored once in the fifth, FMU responded immediately with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Smith doubled home pinch hitter Paige Strickland and then later scored on a wild pitch.
 
The Lions again posted one run in the sixth, but the Patriots answered with three scores in their at bat.  Konz drilled an RBI-triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Watford, and Gale followed with a solo home run over the left field wall.
 
Walling allowed two earned runs on seven hits to improve to 12-2.  She fanned one and walked only one.
 
White, who has a 13-game hitting streak, was 3-for-4 in game two, while Konz registered two hits and scored three times.

 
Francis Marion Univ. 5, Emmanuel University 0 (Mar 25, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 1)
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Emmanuel University. 000 000 0 -  0  5  2      (14-18, 3-6 CC)
Francis Marion Univ… 000 014 X -  5  4  0      (28-8, 7-2 CC)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel University - Maddie  Edwards; Haley Mullins(6) and Kinsley Goolsby.
Francis Marion Univ. - Alyssa Poston and Kendal Miller.
Win-Alyssa Poston (16-3)  Loss-Maddie  Edwards (6-6)  T-1:47  A-53
Weather: Mostly sunny,63,Wind SW@11 mph
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. 9, Emmanuel University 4 (Mar 25, 2024 at Florence, SC) (Game 2)
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Emmanuel University. 000 011 2 -  4  7  1      (14-19, 3-7 CC)
Francis Marion Univ… 301 023 X -  9 14  2      (29-8, 8-2 CC)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel University - Macy Kelley; Isabel Harrison(5); Haley Mullins(6) and
Kelley Feigen. Francis Marion Univ. - Jenna Walling and Kendal Miller; Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Jenna Walling (12-2)  Loss-Macy Kelley (4-8)  T-1:54
HR FMU_SB - Peyton Gale (4).
Weather: Fair,66,Wind W@11 mph