DUNCAN, SC – Senior right fielder Katie Smith doubled and homered to drive in three runs as 21st-ranked Francis Marion University rallied for a 9-3 win over ninth-seeded Barton College, Thursday (April 25) in the opening round of the Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament.
 
Top-seeded Francis Marion (42-10) equals its program record for wins in a season previously accomplished in 2023 and 1987.  The Patriots advance to face fourth-seeded Young Harris College on Friday at noon.   Barton (25-23) drops into the losers' bracket of the double-elimination event.
 
FMU senior first baseman Taylor Watford tied the school record with three doubles, while sophomore center fielder Mikaela Goss also had three hits.  Junior shortstop Makayla Cuthbertson and junior left fielder Emily Konz joined Smith with two hits apiece as the Patriots totaled 12 base hits.
 
The Bulldogs surprised FMU with a two-run homer by designated player Gracelyn Massey in the top of the first.  Barton right-hander Kerrigan Wonder (0-7) kept FMU off the scoreboard over the first two innings, albeit by stranding three runners on base.
 
In the bottom of the third, Patriot sophomore third baseman Madalyn White reached on a throwing error and advanced to second.  Konz followed with a bunt single and the ball was thrown away at first base allowing both runners to score and knot the score at 2-2.  Watford then doubled to right center and came home on a two-out RBI-double to left by Goss giving FMU its first lead.  A pair of wild pitches allowed Goss to score the fourth run of the frame.
 
Francis Marion plated four more runs in the fourth inning to forge an 8-2 advantage.  Cuthbertson led off with a solo homer to right field, her second homer in three games. Konz reached on a fielder's choice grounder, stole second, and came home on a run-scoring double to right center by Watford.  One out later, Smith blasted a two-run homer over the left-center field fence.
 
Barton loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but managed only one run on a sacrifice fly.  The Patriots responded with a single run in the bottom of the inning.  Watford doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on a two-out double to left-center field by Smith.
 
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Alyssa Poston (24-4) survived the first inning and earned the win.  She threw six innings and surrendered three runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.  Sophomore right Jenna Walling tossed a scoreless seventh inning to complete the contest.
 
Watford's run scoring double upped her nation-leading RBI total to 74. The win also upped Patriot head coach Stacey Vallee's 20-year victory total to 595.
 

#21 Francis Marion 9, Barton 3 (Apr 25, 2024 at Duncan, S.C.)
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Barton................... 200 001 0 -  3 11  2      (25-23)
Francis Marion...... 004 401 X -  9 12  0      (42-10)
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Pitchers: Barton - Kerrigan Wonder; Kierstin Cooper(4) and Sydney Wade. Francis Marion -
Alyssa Poston; Jenna Walling(7) and Lauren Smallwood; Kendal Miller.
Win-Alyssa Poston (24-4)  Loss-Kerrigan Wonder (0-7)  T-2:11  A-128
HR BARTON - Gracelyn Massey.
HR FMU_SB - Katie Smith; Makayla Cuthbertson.
Weather: no clouds light wind
K. Wonder faced 2 batters in the 4th.