FLORENCE, SC – Junior right fielder Paige Strickland drove in four runs and junior left-handed pitcher Alyssa Poston tossed six scoreless innings to propel top-seeded and second-ranked Francis Marion University to a 4-0 win over fourth-seeded Wingate University, Friday (May 9) afternoon in the semifinal game of the NCAA Division II Southeast sub-Regional Softball Tournament in Florence.
 
Francis Marion ups its record to 51-4 and advances to face Wingate (39-22) again in Saturday's championship game at 1 p.m.  If Wingate wins that game, the "if necessary" game would follow at 4 p.m.  Admission for Saturday at the FMU Softball Stadium is $10.
 
In Friday's other regional action, fifth-seeded Flagler College eliminated eighth-seeded Georgia Southwestern State University 6-5 and Wingate eliminated Flagler 12-10 on Friday night.
 
Junior shortstop Madalyn White led FMU at the plate with three hits, and is now 7-for-8 in the regional.  Strickland and senior outfielder Emily Konz each had two hits.  Strickland' four RBIs sets a new school single-season record with 82, breaking the old mark of 81 set by current assistant coach Taylor Watford last season.
 
Konz extended her hitting streak to 19 games and White pushed her streak to 16 games.  White also pushed her single-season school record for hits to 94, and is two shy of equaling the single-season mark for runs scored.
 
Poston (28-2) allowed only three baserunners – a second-inning double, a third-inning single, and a fifth-inning double – in her six innings, while striking out three.  Junior right-hander Jenna Walling pitched the seventh inning in a non-save situation to finish the contest.
 
Poston, the Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Year, moves ahead of Walling for sole possession of third place on the Patriots' career wins list with 56.
 
White led off the bottom of the first with an infield single.  She advanced to second and then third on a throwing error.  Strickland, the Conference Carolinas' Player of the Year, dropped an RBI-single into right-center field giving FMU an early 1-0 advantage.
 
Despite traffic on the basepaths, Francis Marion was held scoreless by Wingate starter Hali Scott (9-7) and reliever Lily Huneycutt over the next four frames.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, pinch-hitter Emma Moberg drew a two-out walk.  White and Konz followed with singles to load the bases.  Strickland then drove a 1-2 pitch from Huneycutt deep down the right field line for a bases-clearing triple.
 
Poston and Walling have combined for 14 scoreless innings in the tournament as FMU has outscored its two opponents 10-0.

 
 
#2 Francis Marion Univ. 4, Wingate University 0 (May 09, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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Wingate University.. 000 000 0 -  0  4  1      (38-22)
Francis Marion Univ. 100 003 X -  4 11  0      (51-4)
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Pitchers: Wingate University - Hali Scott; Lily Huneycutt(4) and Raelynn Kramer.
Francis Marion Univ. - Alyssa Poston; Jenna Walling(7) and Kendal Miller; Marlee McCormick.
Win-Alyssa Poston(28-2)  Loss-Hali Scott(9-7)  T-2:12  A-206
Weather: Fair, 77, Winds NE @ 8 mph