DAHLONEGA, GA – Senior right fielder
Katie Smith drilled a two-out, two-strike run-scoring single back up the middle in the top of the ninth inning to hand 19th-ranked and third-seeded Francis Marion University a hard-fought 2-1 win over eighth-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia, Friday afternoon (May 10) in the winners' bracket of the NCAA Division II Softball Southeast sub-Regional in Dahlonega, Ga.
Francis Marion, now 47-11, advances to Saturday's championship game at noon (where the Patriots will have to be beaten twice). North Georgia (48-11), the defending Division II national champion, drops into the losers' bracket final later on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
The win was also the 600th career coaching victory for FMU head coach
Stacey Vallee. In 20 seasons on the Patriot bench, Vallee owns a 600-371-1 mark.
Smith registered two of Francis Marion's four hits, while junior third baseman
Madalyn White and junior shortstop
Makayla Cuthbertson had one hit apiece. Over the last 12 games, Smith is batting 21-for-38 (.553) with 18 RBIs. Cuthbertson extended her hitting streak to 12 games.
FMU sophomore southpaw
Alyssa Poston (28-5) picked up the win. She scattered 10 hits, struck out four, and did not issue a walk. She pitched around traffic all game as the Nighthawks were retired in order only once – in the eighth inning.
North Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when first baseman Marycille Brumby doubled to deep right field, and after a pair of strikeouts, came home on an RBI-single to right by shortstop Rylie Moody.
Francis Marion knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning. White lined a one-out triple over the outside edge of the first base bag and down the right field line. Junior right fielder
Emily Konz then pounded an RBI fielder's choice grounder to the first baseman that easily scored White. On the play, the first baseman did not tag the bag and threw wilding to home plate allowing Konz to reach second base. The ball was then thrown widely to second, but Konz was tagged out sliding into third base.
After scoreless seventh and eighth innings, the Patriots took a 2-1 lead in the ninth. Konz drew a lead-off walk. After a fly out and a strikeout, she stole second base and scored the go-ahead run on Smith's hit to center field.
The Nighthawks did get the potential tying run into scoring position at second base with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Poston registered the final out on a harmless fly ball to Smith in right field.
UNG's Kirsten Davis (18-6) absorbed the loss despite allowing only four hits and two earned runs in nine innings of work.
#19 Francis Marion 2, #8 North Georgia 1 (May 10, 2024 at Dahlonega, Ga.)
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Francis Marion...... 000 001 001 0 - 2 4 0 (47-11)
North Georgia....... 010 000 000 X - 1 10 0 (48-11)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Alyssa Poston and
Lauren Smallwood. North Georgia – Kirsten Davis and Georgia Blair.
Win-
Alyssa Poston (28-5) Loss-Kirsten Davis (18-6) T-2:05 A-240
