WILSON, NC – Graduate student right-handed pitcher Jenna Walling delivered 10 strikeouts as the No. 19 Francis Marion University softball team captured the victory against Barton College by a score of 2-1 in eight innings for game one and 1-0 in game two, Friday (March 27) afternoon at Jeffries Field.
 
Francis Marion (30-9, 14-4) ventures out to Murfreesboro, N.C., to face Chowan University on Saturday for a Conference Carolinas doubleheader starting at noon.
 
Walling (20-6) becomes the first Division II pitcher to reach 20 wins this season.  The Johns Island, S.C., native continues to also lead the country in strikeouts with 157. She is only the second Patriot hurler to record three 20-win seasons, joining FMU Hall of Famer Michaela Wolf.
 
In game one, Walling threw a complete game while surrendering seven hits and only one unearned run against the Bulldogs (14-22, 5-13).
 
Game one saw senior shortstop Madalyn White, senior catcher Kendal Miller, and senior center fielder Mikaela Goss propel the Patriots offensively. White went 2-for-3 and lined an RBI in the eighth, while Miller went 1-for-3 and Goss was 2-for-3, both Miller and Goss crossing the plate.
 
Barton pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead.
 
Goss doubled to center field in the sixth inning, igniting the Patriots. White pushed a bunt single, allowing Goss to advance, and White quickly stole second. Senior left fielder Anderson Thrower also recorded a bunt single, just before Walling hit a sacrifice fly to score Goss with the tying run.
 
Walling stranded runners at second and third in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Extra innings gave FMU more life as Miller singled up the middle with one out. Goss followed with a single to right and White lined a single to center field to send Miller home with the winning run.
 
In game two, Patriot freshman right-hander Laini Kosinski (4-0) started and was awarded the win, pitching 6.2 innings with 62 pitches, and only two hits allowed.
 
Walling was credited a save in game two after securing the final out with the tying run on base.  It was her seventh career save tying the Francis Marion all-time record set by righty Kristen Ruple between 1987 and 1990.
 
At the plate, Walling went 1-for-3, while Thrower was 1-for-2 extending her hitting streak to seven games.
 
Inning four was where the magic happened as Thrower doubled down the left-field line. The next batter was Walling and she doubled down the same area bringing Thrower home to complete the sweep.
 
The 30-win campaign is the fifth consecutive for the Patriots and the 13th in head coach Stacey Vallee's 22 seasons on the FMU bench.