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FRANCIS MARION'S BIG INNING DROPS CARSON-NEWMAN 5-0
DAHLONEGA, GA
– 4th-seeded Francis Marion University kicked off the NCAA
Division II Dahlonega Regional Friday afternoon with a 5-0 win over
5th-seeded Carson Newman at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
The Patriots (35-14) used six hits and an error to score all of
five of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to get past
the Eagles (36-11).
The game was a pitching duel for the first four innings as
FMU’s Michaela Wolf and Carson Newman’s Mary Shealy
combined to allowed just three base runners.
The key play in the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning,
turning the game in Francis Marion’s favor. FMU’s
Jessica Birchmeier led off the inning and bounced out to second
base, but an illegal pitch was called and Birchmeier got a second
chance. She took advantage of the chance, lining a shot up the
middle for the Patriots first hit of the game.
After a sacrifice bunt moved Birchmeier to second, Jessica Hogan
drove home the first run of the game with a one-hopper off the left
field fence, just to the left of the 210-foot sign. Hogan’s
hit seem to get the offense going while deflating the hopes of the
Eagles. “She’s does a great job,” said Vallee.
“She came up real big for us.”
Cea Knox followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0, knocking
Carson Newman starter Mary Shealy out of the game. Destinea
Schneider had a slap single to left to put runners at first and
third, and Kat Beauvais made it 3-0 with a single to left. Chelle
Phillips followed with an RBI single to center, scoring Schneider.
Beauvais came around to score on the play on a throwing error by
the catcher.
“I felt good about our hitting, they just weren’t
falling (earlier in the game),” said Vallee. The five runs
were more than enough for Wolf, who allowed just one hit over the
final two innings to complete the shutout. Wolfe was in control
throughout, allowing just two hits while striking out seven. Wolfe
kept the Eagles off balance with a fastball and a deadly
change-up.
“We wanted to mix it up,” said Vallee. “We had a
scouting report and we wanted to mix it up. She did a good
job.”
The Patriots finished with six hits as Beauvais, Phillips,
Birchmeier, Hogan, Know and Schneider each had a hit.
The Patriots will take on the winner of the North Georgia and
Queens University Saturday at 2:30 pm. “We’ve played
both of them so we know what they have,” said Vallee
Leah Price and Ashley Boyd had the only two hits in the game for
the Eagles. Shealy ended up re-entering the game as a pitcher and
ended up working 5.1innings. Shealy allowed three runs on three
hits and two walks while striking out one.
The Eagles will try to stay alive in the regional, playing in a
loser’s bracket game at 5 p.m. “You can play 14 innings
or you can extend that,” said Hollifield. “I
don’t want to take anything away from Francis Marion but
I’m very disappointed in our effort.
