PEMBROKE, NC – Junior left-handed pitcher
Alyssa Poston tossed a two-hit shutout as second-ranked Francis Marion University won game-one 3-0 and then hurled three shutout innings of relief as the Patriots rallied for a 5-4 win in nine innings to sweep a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader from UNC Pembroke on Wednesday evening (Apr. 16).
FMU, champions of the East Division, finishes the regular season on a 22-game winning streak. The Patriots, 43-3 overall and 23-1 in conference play, will await the announcement of the Conference Carolinas Tournament pairings on Friday night. Francis Marion will likely open tournament action as the top seed on Thursday, April 24, at 4 p.m. at Tyger River Park in Duncan, S.C.
In Wednesday's opener, Poston (24-1) recorded five strikeouts. She allowed only two base runners (both walks) over the first five innings. The no-hitter was broken up by a single through the right side by Kynley Brewer to lead off the sixth inning. However, Brewer was erased on a double play later in the inning when junior center fielder
Mikaela Goss made a diving catch in right-center field and threw back to first.
After four scoreless frames, Francis Marion took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth. Goss led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Junior shortstop
Madalyn White reached on a bunt single with Goss moving to third. After White stole second base, senior outfielder
Emily Konz served a two-run double down the left field line.
White added an insurance run in the seventh as she singled home junior second baseman
Rylie Webster.
White and Konz both had two hits at the top of the Patriot line-up.
Summer Bullard (11-8) was the loser as she surrendered the three runs on six hits. Bullard also absorbed the loss in game two.
In the second contest, FMU took a 1-0 advantage in the third on a two-out RBI-double by senior third baseman
Peyton Gale. The Braves (26-23, 17-7) answered with a run in their half of the inning.
The Patriots regained the lead in the fifth at 2-1. Konz reached on a bunt single, went all the way around to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Gale. Francis Marion extended its margin to 3-1 in the sixth when Webster scored on a wild pitch.
However, UNCP responded with three runs in the last of the sixth. The Braves tied the game on a two-out, two-run triple by Kylie Johnson. She then scored the go-ahead run on a single through the right side by Brewer.
Now faced with a one-run deficit, FMU rallied in the top of the seventh to force extra innings. Freshman pinch-hitter
Reese Miller was hit by a pitch with one out. She moved to second on a wild pitch and scored the tying run when freshman designated player
Rylee Gray doubled off the left field wall.
Poston relived FMU game-two starter
Jenna Walling in the seventh and held the Braves scoreless the remainder of the game.
Despite utilizing the international tie-breaker rule of placing a runner on second base in extra innings, neither team scored in the eighth. In the ninth, Konz was placed on second and she stole third, her 35th theft of the season in 36 attempts. Junior catcher
Kendal Miller then lined a single through the left side to plate Konz with the go-ahead and eventual winning run.
Poston retired the Braves in order in the ninth to finish the marathon game. She allowed only one base runner in her three-inning stint, and recorded three more strikeouts.
With the victory, Poston ties Walling for third place on the FMU career wins list with 51.
Konz was 2-for-5 in the second contest, the only Patriot with multiple hits. The conference leader in RBIs, FMU junior outfielder
Paige Strickland, did not play in the first contest, but went 1-for-3 in game two to extend her hitting streak to 20 contests.
#2 Francis Marion 3, UNC Pembroke 0 (4/16/2025 at Maxton NC) (Game 1)
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Francis Marion......... 000 020 1 - 3 6 0 (42-3, 22-1)
UNC Pembroke........ 000 000 0 - 0 2 1 (26-22, 17-6)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Alyssa Poston and
Kendal Miller. UNC Pembroke - S. Bullard and Chloe Locklear.
Win-
Alyssa Poston (23-1) Loss-Summer Bullard (11-7) T-1:40
#2 Francis Marion 5, UNC Pembroke 4 (Apr 16, 2025 at Maxton, NC) (Game 2)
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Francis Marion......... 001 011 101 - 5 7 0 (43-3, 23-1)
UNC Pembroke........ 001 003 000 - 4 9 2 (26-23, 17-7)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion -
Jenna Walling;
Alyssa Poston(7) and
Kendal Miller. UNC Pembroke - Katie Neel; Alivia Lantzy(4); Summer Bullard(7) and Chloe Locklear.
Win-
Alyssa Poston (24-1) Loss-Summer Bullard (11-8) T-2:50
