FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University pounded out four more home runs and used a combined two-hit shutout to sweep two games on the second day of the annual Patriot Invitational Women's Softball Tournament, Saturday (March 11) at the Freedom Florence Softball Complex.

The 33-team event will conclude on Sunday with games at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. FMU will face 11th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne College at 11 a.m. and 13th-ranked Bloomsburg University at 1 p.m.

FMU (13-5) hit three home runs and got a combined two-hit shutout from freshman Serena Lim and sophomore Meg Thomy to blank Mars Hill College 7-0 early on Saturday afternoon and then third baseman Janine Allen tripled and homered to help the Patriots down Gannon University (12-5) by the score of 5-2. FMU has now won eight straight games.

In game one, FMU senior catcher Jamie Wiggins returned to the Patriot lineup after missing 12 games with a hand injury and promptly blasted a three-run homer in the second inning. Three batters later, freshman outfielder Lakyn Bendle hit a two-run homer and two pitches after that junior Tatjana Slawson followed with a solo shot. It was the second time in two days that Patriot batters have hit back-to-back home runs.

Wiggins finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Slawson was 2-for-2 and sophomore shortstop Allie Aleman was 2-for-4 with a run batted in. Thomy (1-0) got her first win of the year by pitching four scoreless innings.

Mars Hill starter Katie Bryden was tagged with the loss. First baseman Tiffany Self and right fielder Tiara Mitchell collected the only two Lady Lion hits.

Against Gannon, Allen hit a run-scoring triple in the first inning and a solo home run in the fourth inning as FMU jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Gannon trimmed the margin to 3-2 in the top of the sixth, but FMU starter Jessica Johnson got Rae Ann D’Aurora to line into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Freshman right fielder Megan Pangburn laced a two-run single up the middle to supply FMU with a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth frame.

Johnson (7-2) allowed eight hits and struck out four. Gannon righty Lauren Soldner was the losing pitcher, allowing FMU’s first two runs, although both were unearned.

Allen was 2-for-2 with the two RBIs, while catcher Kayla Ruede was 2-for-2.

Gannon center fielder Kristina Damis was 2-for-4, while D’Aurora was 2-for-3. Joanna Fergus (1-for-2) and Allison Gerger (1-for-3) drove in the two Gannon runs.