FLORENCE, SC – Junior shortstop
Madalyn White registered three hits, drove in three runs, and scored twice at the top of Patriot line-up as top-seeded and second-ranked Francis Marion University blanked fourth-seeded Wingate University 7-0, Saturday (May 10) afternoon in the title game of the NCAA Division II Southeast sub-Regional Softball Tournament in Florence.
Francis Marion, now 52-4, advances to host the NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional on May 15-16, where FMU will face 11th-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia. The opening game of the best two-out-of-three Super Regional series will be Thursday at 1 p.m. The second game is set for Friday at 1 p.m., followed by the if-necessary contest at 4 p.m.
Wingate ends its season at 39-23.
White tied a program single-game record with two triples, while extending her hitting streak to 17 games. She also tied the team single-season record for runs scored, equaling the 77 total set by
Makayla Cuthbertson in 2023. She also improved upon her season record for hits (97).
Senior third baseman
Peyton Gale also had multiple hits for FMU going 2-for-3, including a run-scoring double.
Junior right-hander
Jenna Walling (19-1) earned the win as she tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless work. She relieved FMU starter
Alyssa Poston with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the third inning (Wingate was the designated home team). Walling retired the next two batters to end the threat.
Walling allowed only one hit, a seventh-inning single, in her time in the circle. She did walk the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but ended the inning with a nifty defensive play along the third-base line. She fielded a two-out swinging bunt and flipped the ball with her glove to catcher
Marlee McCormick for the force out.
Francis Marion took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when junior outfielder
Anderson Thrower led off with an infield single, took second on a sacrifice bunt, went to third on a wild pitch, and came home on a two-out double to the left-center field gap by Gale.
The margin doubled in the third when White tripled down the left field line, and two batters later scored on a throwing error.
The lead again doubled in the fourth to 4-0. Two walks and a pinch-hit single by senior
Samantha Turnage loaded the bases with one out. Following a pitching change, White singled home a run. Pinch-runner
Karson Cuozzo later scored on a Bulldog fielding error.
Francis Marion finished the scoring with three runs in the top of the six. Gale and junior first baseman
Tallulah Civoniceva both singled ahead of White's two-run triple to left-center field.
Wingate starter Hali Scott (9-8) was tagged with the loss. Bulldog center field Kaylee Hobgood registered both of Wingate's base hits.
This will be the Patriots' first-ever appearance in the Super Regionals. FMU did advance to the 2008 NCAA Division II World Series, but the Super Regional format did not exist then.
Poston and Walling combined for 21 shutout innings in the sub-regional tournament and surrendered only 12 hits as FMU outscored its three opponents 17-0.
Walling re-ties Poston for third place on the Patriots' career wins list with 56.
The team's 52 victories is the most ever for a Conference Carolinas' athletic squad.
#2 Francis Marion Univ. 7, Wingate University 0 (May 10, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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Francis Marion Univ. 011 203 0 - 7 9 0 (52-4)
Wingate University.. 000 000 0 - 0 2 2 (39-23)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion Univ. -
Alyssa Poston;
Jenna Walling(3) and
Kendal Miller;
Marlee McCormick. Wingate University - Hali Scott; Lily Huneycutt(4); Lily Robbins(7) and Raelynn Kramer.
Win-
Jenna Walling (19-1) Loss-Hali Scott (9-8) T-2:26 A-247
Weather: Overcast,67,Winds SW@ 8 mph
