FLORENCE, S.C. – The Jaguars cut game two to a one-run affair late in the game, but the Francis Marion Patriots held off GRU Augusta for a 4-3 final to sweep the Peach Belt Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the FMU Softball Stadium.
The Jaguars' (13-24, 1-5) left-handed starter Haley Birkle held FMU (15-15, 3-3) scoreless in game one on eight hits until the fifth inning. The Patriots loaded the bases on a Danielle Myers single through the left side and a fielder's choice scored the runner from third for the only run of the game. FMU took game one 1-0 behind their starter Taylor Luff who went the full distance on the mound.
Luff (8-8) pitched a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the game one win, while Birkle got the loss in 6.0 innings pitched. The lefty gave up eight hits for one run to move her record to 5-12 on the season.
In game two, the Pats used three walks from GRU starter Paige Deschaine to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Deschaine gave up two more in the third when the Pats rallied with two outs to knock two singles to score Lindsay Brown and Myers for a 4-0 FMU advantage.
The Jaguars gave Deschaine some run support when they scored their first run in the fifth on a bases-loaded error from the FMU pitcher. The Jags cut the Pats' lead to one when Hannah Vaughn stroked a two-RBI single to right center to score Deschaine and pinch runner Becky Newhouse for a 4-3 game.
After using two FMU errors to get back into the game, GRU couldn't manufacture another run as the Pats brought in game one starter Luff who closed it out for the 4-3 final. Katie Carnes (7-7), the FMU starter, got the win in 5.2 innings where she allowed five hits for three runs (zero earned). Deschaine (7-11) struck out six, but the Pats used four hits to score four on Deschaine (three earned) for her eleventh loss.
Ashley Benton paced the GRU bats in game two with a 2-for-4 day, while Vaughn went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Dickens 1-for-3 with a scored run. The Jaguars host West Georgia in a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday, March 26 for a 2:00 p.m. start at Jaguar Field.
