PEMBROKE, NC – Sophomore left-handed pitcher
Alyssa Poston struck out a school-record 18 batters as Francis Marion University outlasted UNC Pembroke 5-2 in 10 innings in the opening game of Friday's (March 8) Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader. The Braves rallied to win game two 7-4 and earn a split.
Francis Marion, now 18-7 overall and 2-2 in league play, will host a non-conference doubleheader against Georgia College on Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex is $10 for adults and $5 for students, with FMU students being admitted free with identification.
Senior first baseman
Taylor Watford led the Patriots in game one with four hits and two runs driven in.
Poston (10-2) allowed only six hits in the 10 innings and did not issue a walk, as only 33 of her 141 pitches were balls. The 18 punchouts broke the old school mark of 17 held jointly by Taylor Luff against Tusculum University in 2014 and Heather Johnson versus Tusculum in 2000.
Both Watford and Poston are products of Hartsville High School.
In the opener, both teams were scoreless through seven innings. The international tiebreaker is used in extra inning contests in conference play.
In the top of the eighth, FMU broke the deadlock when
Katie Smith scored on an RBI-grounder to third base by shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson that was thrown away at first base. However, in the bottom of the frame UNCP tied the game on a one-out RBI-single to center by Charlotte Rose. However, Poston stranded runners at the corners and the game continued.
In the ninth inning, Francis Marion loaded the bases with no outs, but could manage only a run-scoring single through the right side by sophomore designated hitter
Emma Moberg to lead 2-1. The Braves again tied the score (2-2) on a two-strike, two-out soft line-drive single to center by catcher Chloe Locklear.
In the 10th frame, junior left fielder
Emily Konz delivered a two-out run-scoring single and Watford followed with a 2-run single to put Francis Marion up 5-2. Poston then retired the Braves in order in the bottom half of the frame.
Summer Bullard (4-9) took the loss for UNCP, despite only allowing seven hits and two earned runs over 10 innings.
In the second contest, Konz was the only Patriot with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3. Freshman righty
Abby Williams (0-3) suffered the loss.
FMU took a 2-0 lead in the first as Watford hit a sacrifice fly and Konz scored on a wild pitch. The Braves got one run back in the bottom of the inning. Francis Marion scored twice in the third on a two-out UNCP error to assume a 4-1 advantage.
UNC Pembroke responded with six unanswered runs over the next four innings as sophomore right-hander Kinsley Sheppard (4-5) allowed only two more hits.
Francis Marion 5, UNC Pembroke 2 (3/8/2024 at Pembroke, NC) (Game 1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion......... 000 000 011 3 - 5 7 0 (18-6, 2-1)
UNC Pembroke........ 000 000 011 0 - 2 6 1 (8-18, 0-1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Alyssa Poston and
Lauren Smallwood. UNC Pembroke - S. Bullard and C. Locklear.
Win-
Alyssa Poston (10-2) Loss-S. Bullard (4-9) T-2:45 A-50
UNC Pembroke 7, Francis Marion 4 (3/8/2024 at Pembroke, NC) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis Marion......... 202 000 0 - 4 5 1 (18-7, 2-2)
UNC Pembroke........ 102 103 X - 7 9 1 (9-18, 1-1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Abby Williams;
Jenna Walling(6) and
Lauren Smallwood,
Kendal Miller. UNC Pembroke - K. Sheppard and
C. Locklear.
Win-K. Sheppard(4-5) Loss-
Abby Williams(0-3) T-1:48
HR UNCP - K. King.
