PEMBROKE, NC – Francis Marion University scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning as the 19th-ranked Patriots rallied for a 9-4 game-two win and a sweep of Tuesday's (March 24) Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader at UNC Pembroke.    FMU won the opener 6-2.
 
Francis Marion improves to 28-9 overall and 12-4 in conference play, while taking over first place in the East Division standings.  The Patriots will play a pair of conference road doubleheaders this weekend: Friday at Barton College at 1 p.m. and Saturday at Chowan University at noon.
 
The second contest saw senior shortstop Madalyn White and senior left fielder Anderson Thrower both single in the top of the first.  They moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by senior right-handed pitcher Jenna Walling, and White scored on a run-scoring ground out by junior designated player McKenzie Jewell.  That run was the 216th time White has crossed home plate in her career, breaking the program record of 215 set by Hall of Famer Kim Booker between 1986 and 1989.  White already holds the school record for hits in a career.
 
The margin swelled to 3-0 in the third when Walling drilled an RBI-double to left-center field and she later scored on a two-out single up the middle by senior third baseman Riley Webster.
 
Meanwhile in the circle, Walling retired the first nine Braves that she faced.  A throwing error allowed UNCP to score an unearned run in the fourth without a hit.  An unearned in the fifth inning further trimmed the deficit to 3-2.
 
A throwing error in the bottom of the sixth allowed two runs to score as UNC Pembroke (24-12, 11-5) rallied for its first lead at 4-3.
 
Down to their final three outs, the Patriots answered by batting around and scoring six runs on seven hits.  Senior center fielder Mikaela Goss led off with a double to left.  White followed with a bunt single and Thrower loaded the bases with a swinging bunt single.  Walling knotted the game at 4-4 with a sacrifice fly and Jewell followed with a two-strike RBI-single to center, regaining the lead for FMU at 5-4.
 
Webster drilled a run-scoring single through the left side before senior right fielder Paige Strickland stung a two-out, two-run triple to right-center field, upping the margin to 8-4.  Senior catcher Kendal Miller completed the scoring with a run-scoring single to left.
   
Walling retired the Braves in the bottom half of the frame to earn her nation-leading 19 win (against only six losses).  Her second complete-game effort of the day was a four-hitter that saw her fan five and not allow an earned run or a walk.
 
Thrower led FMU at the plate with three hits, while White, Walling, Wester, and Strickland had two hits apiece.
 
UNCP righty Halona Sampson (8-4) was tagged with the game-two defeat.
 
In Wednesday's first game, White, Jewell, and Strickland all registered two hits.
 
The Patriots jumped on the Braves early, plating four runs in the top of the first frame.  White led off with a double over the left fielder's head and Thrower followed with a bunt single moving White to third base.  One out later, and after Thrower stole second base, White scored on a passed ball.  Jewell then drove an RBI-double to center field, upping the advantage to 2-0.  With two outs, senior second baseman Maddy Golka walked before Strickland lined a two-out, two-run triple down the right field line.
 
The Braves answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half.
 
FMU added an insurance run in the fourth to go up 5-2.  Golka reached on a fielding error, Strickland singled through the right side, and both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Miller.  Goss then plated Golka with a run-scoring ground out to second base.
 
Walling stranded runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings.  She then helped her own cause with a two-out RBI-single to center in the seventh, scoring White for a 6-2 advantage.
 
Walling earned the game-one victory by limiting the Braves to six hits and one earned run, while striking out three and issuing only one walk.
 
Right-hander Summer Bullard (13-6) was the losing pitcher in the opener.