SAVANNAH, Ga. (April 12) – Jacquie Crane hurled a second straight
shutout in leading Armstrong Atlantic State University past fourth-ranked Francis
Marion University 3-0 in Peach Belt Conference softball action at the AASU
Softball Field on Saturday afternoon. The Pirates completed the sweep of
the Patriots with a 4-2 win in game two.

Both teams now head to the PBC Tournament, which Francis Marion will host at the Freedom Florence Recreational Complex, April 18-20.

Coming off of a 13-inning shutout win over Augusta State on Monday,
Crane (10-6) limited the Patriots to just four hits in game one,
striking out four and walking one in the 3-0 victory. The shutout also
extended her consecutive scoreless inning streak to 25 2/3 innings. AASU provided all the
offense Crane would need in the first on Ashley Bain’s RBI single and
Jessica Strong’s RBI double. Tori Richter completed the scoring with an
RBI single in the fifth inning. Sophomore lefty Michaela Wolf took the loss in game one
for the Patriots, giving up seven hits and three runs in six innings
while striking out six.

In game two, the Pirates (26-17, 13-5 PBC) pushed across a run in the
bottom of the first on Bain’s squeeze bunt, scoring Erin Billingsley,
who slid in safely underneath the tag of Francis Marion catcher Kayla
Ruede. Francis Marion (30-11, 10-8 PBC) took the lead in the top of the
second when Wolf knocked a one-out double, then Allie Aleman followed
with a single to center. Jessica Strong’s throw from center field went
into the FMU dugout, scoring Wolf and putting Aleman on third. A squeeze
bunt by Kat Beauvais scored Aleman to make it 2-1.

AASU tied the game in the bottom of the third on Kari Marsico’s
sacrifice fly to center field. The Pirates took the lead for good in the
bottom of the fifth on Richter’s infield RBI single that scored Strong
from third, then added an insurance run in the sixth on a wild pitch.

Sam Floyd (10-8) went the distance for the Pirates in game two, giving
up five hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out eight. Wolf
(21-8) entered the second game in the third inning and took the loss,
giving up five hits and two runs in 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.

Francis Marion was led by senior Monica Wofford, who reached base five
times in the doubleheader, while collecting two hits. Junior shortstop Shannan
Tyson also had two hits.  Erin Billingsley had three hits and scored three runs for the Pirates,
while Strong, Richter and Natalie Vogler each collected three hits as
well.