FLORENCE, S.C. – Three home runs in the opener and a three-hit shutout in the nightcap paced Francis Marion University to a pair of wins on the opening day of the annual Patriot Invitational Women's Softball Tournament, Friday (March 10) at the Freedom Florence Softball Complex.
The 33-team event will continue with games on Saturday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. FMU will face Mars Hill College at 1 p.m. and Gannon University at 5 p.m.
FMU (11-5) opened the day with a 6-1 win over Newberry College (7-17-1) and closed it with a 2-0 shutout of Ashland University (6-4).
In game one, FMU freshman right-hander Serena Lim (5-3) limited the Indians to four hits and one unearned run, while herself driving in two runs with a solo homer and a groundout.
Both Janine Allen and Monica Wofford were 2-for-4 with a home run and double. Allen drilled a two-run homer in the third inning and Wofford followed on the next pitch with a solo shot to stake the Patriots to a 5-1 advantage.
Newberry righty Stephanie Monette (1-4) took the loss after allowing five runs.
Against Ashland, junior right-hander Jessica Johnson (6-2) tossed a three-hit shutout. Junior second baseman Tatjana Slawson provided Johnson with all the runs she would need when she laced a two-run double into the right centerfield gap in the bottom of the third inning. Slawson finished the game 2-for-3 as the Patriots managed only four safeties against Ashland starter Shannon Gray.
Ashland managed only two baserunners through the first six innings, but consecutive two-out singles by Ashley Evans and Jill Allerding in the last inning brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate. However, Johnson induced Angie Westenkirchner to pop-up to the catcher for the final out.
