DUNCAN, SC – Senior right fielder
Katie Smith delivered a two-run walk-off homer to give top-seeded and 21st-ranked Francis Marion University a 7-5 win over fifth-seeded Emmanuel University and the program's second straight Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament title, Sunday afternoon (April 28) in Duncan, S.C.
Emmanuel stunned the Patriots with a six-run seventh inning in the first championship game on Sunday to win 7-5 and force the "if necessary" second title game.
Francis Marion improves to 45-11 and will await the announcement of the NCAA Division II National Tournament field on May 6. This will be the Patriots' third consecutive appearance in the NCAAs.
With the score knotted at 5-5 entering the bottom of the seventh, FMU senior first baseman
Taylor Watford singled up the middle on the first pitch. She was then replaced at first by pinch runner
Paige Strickland. After a fly out, Smith hit the first pitch she saw from Emmanuel right-hander Maddie Edwards (21-7) over the left field fence setting off a wild celebration at home plate.
Sophomore designated player
Anderson Thrower led Francis Marion with a 3-for-3 game that included a run scored and two driven in. Smith had two hits en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team.
FMU sophomore left-handed pitcher
Alyssa Poston, who went 3-1 in the event, was named Tournament MVP, while sophomore third baseman
Madalyn White and junior shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson also garnered All-Tournament Team recognition.
FMU trailed 5-1 after three innings as Edwards was strong in the circle. In the fourth frame, Thrower singled to the opposite field to score sophomore center fielder
Mikaela Goss. Cuthbertson followed with a three-run blast over the right-center field fence to knot the score at 5-5.
The Patriots did put two runners on with two outs in the sixth, but could not score.
Sophomore right-hander
Jenna Walling (17-2) earned the championship-game win with a complete-game effort. She retired six of the last seven batters she faced and finished with an eight-hitter. Only one of the five runs charged against her was earned.
In the first contest of day, junior left fielder
Emily Konz and junior second baseman
Peyton Gale both rapped out three hits, while Smith two hits and a run batted in.
FMU broke a scoreless deadlock in the third with a two-out rally. Konz singles through the right side and Watford and Gale both followed with RBI-doubles to right center. For Watford, it was her nation-leading 77 run batted in of the season.
Lexi Jordan's run-scoring single in the top of the sixth brought the Lions to within 2-1.
Gale and Smith singled to lead off the FMU sixth inning, but the Patriots could not push across an insurance run.
Emmanuel then erupted for six runs on five hits and a walk in the top of the seventh to rally for a 7-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the seventh, Cuthbertson led off with a long home run to center field. After a strikeout, Konz singled, Watford walked, and Gale singled to load the bases. Smith singled in the fourth run and Goss delivered a sacrifice fly to narrow the margin to 7-5, but now with two outs. Edwards, who came on in relief in the sixth, retired senior catcher
Lauren Smallwood on a fly out to end the contest and force the if necessary championship game.
Poston (26-5) was tagged with the loss. She held the Lions to only the one run on four hits through the first six innings.
Emmanuel 7, #21 Francis Marion 5 (4/28/2024 at Duncan, S.C.)
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Emmanuel............ 000 001 6 - 7 9 1 (35-23)
Francis Marion...... 002 000 3 - 5 12 1 (44-11)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel - Macy Kelley; Isabel Harrison(3); Maddie Edwards(6) and Kinsley Goolsby.
Francis Marion -
Alyssa Poston and
Lauren Smallwood.
Win-Maddie Edwards (21-6) Loss-
Alyssa Poston (26-5) T-2:15 A-157
HR FMU_SB -
Makayla Cuthbertson.
Weather: sunny, some clouds, bit windy
I. Harrison faced 2 batters in the 6th.
#21 Francis Marion 7, Emmanuel 5 (4/28/2024 at Duncan, S.C.)
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Emmanuel............ 032 000 0 - 5 8 1 (35-24)
Francis Marion...... 010 400 2 - 7 12 3 (45-11)
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Pitchers: Emmanuel - Maddie Edwards and Kinsley Goolsby. Francis Marion -
Jenna Walling and
Lauren Smallwood;
Karson Cuozzo.
Win-
Jenna Walling (17-2) Loss-Maddie Edwards (21-7) T-1:53 A-160
HR FMU_SB -
Katie Smith;
Makayla Cuthbertson.
Weather: light clouds, sunny, windy
