Florence, S.C. — The Catawba College softball team forced an impressive split with sixth-ranked Francis Marion on Wednesday, earning the fifth win over a top six ranked opponent in program history and just the second since 2014.
GAME ONE | Francis Marion 6, Catawba 1
TEAM STATISTICS
- Francis Marion out-hit Catawba 8-5
- The Catawba Indians hit the lone homer, but the Patriots had two of three extra-base hits
- FMU recorded the lone stolen base in the opening game
- Francis Marion's pitchers allowed one run on five hits, striking out eight; Catawba's staff allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out one
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Alex Baquie kept the Patriots offense scoreless through five innings before allowing four runs in the sixth
- Jordan McCorkle homered
- Brianna Gallagher recorded two hits
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Catawba took an early lead on McCorkle's one-out homer in the second
SIXTH INNING
- A walk and two singles loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth for Francis Marion
- A sac fly and an RBI double pulled the Patriots in front, 2-1
- FMU followed with an RBI single and RBI double to push the lead to 4-1
- A passed ball and an RBI single allowed the fifth and sixth runs of the frame
GAME TWO | Catawba 2, Francis Marion 1
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Francis Marion 6-4
- The Patriots hit the only two extra-base hits of game two
- FMU committed the only two errors in the game
- Catawba grabbed the lone stolen base of the contest
- The Catawba Indian starter allowed one across the full seven innings on four hits and two walks, striking out one; FMU's starter allowed two run on six hits and two walks, striking out eight
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Kate Holland was stellar in the win, keeping the vaunted Patriots offense to a single run on just four hits
- Rachel Pressley went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base
- Gallagher and Alexis Monroe singled and scored
- Adda Prescott drove in a key run on a single
HOW IT HAPPENED
THIRD INNING
- Francis Marion led off the third with a triple
- A wild pitch scored the game's first run
SIXTH INNING
- Gallagher led off the sixth with a single up the middle
- Monroe's two-out single put the tying run in scoring position
- Prescott tied it with an RBI single to left field and moved Monroe over to third
- Pressley's RBI infield single gave Catawba the late lead
UP NEXT
- Catawba is scheduled to return home to Whitley Field on Saturday with the Whitley Invitational; they are scheduled to face Fairmont State at home at 10 a.m. and 8th-ranked North Georgia at 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday
