FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior first baseman Janine Allen laced an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Francis Marion University a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Catawba College, Sunday afternoon (Feb. 11) in the opening game of a non-conference softball doubleheader. Catawba rapped out 12 hits in game two and held off a late FMU rally to earn a split with a 6-5 win.

Freshman left-hander Michaela Wolf (3-0) got the win in game one as FMU rallied from a 3-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Three Patriot errors allowed Catawba to score single runs (all unearned) in each of the first three frames.

Blanked by Catawba starter Lindsay Ettinger (2-1), Francis Marion finally broke through in the seventh. Allen and shortstop Allie Aleman each had RBI singles and Wolf knotted the game at 3-3 with a booming RBI double to left center.

Shannan Tyson, Monica Wofford, Allen, and Aleman all had two hits for FMU in the opener. Jessie Whitesides and Allie Marshall each had two hits and an RBI for the Lady Indians in game one.

Tied 2-2 in the second game, Catawba first baseman Jacqueline White and catcher Ryann Baker each delivered run-scoring singles in the fifth inning. Whitesides upped the margin to 5-2 with an RBI fielder’s choice bunt in the sixth. FMU trimmed the lead to 5-4 on an RBI triple by Tyson and a run-scoring single by freshman Kat Beauvais in the bottom of the six. 

Catawba went up 6-4 in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Sarah VanBuskirk, before FMU attempted its second game-winning comeback. This time, Ettinger reversed the outcome by earning her first save in relief of starter Rachel Christian (3-0). The Patriots did score one run on an RBI single by Tyson, but Wofford was gunned down for the final out when trying to advance one base as the throw from the outfield got away from the cutoff person.

Tyson finished the second game 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, while Megan Pangburn, Wofford, and Beauvais all had two hits for the Patriots. Sophomore righty Serena Lim (1-1) was tagged with the loss.

Whitesides, Marshall, and Brittany Thornburg all collected two hits for Catawba in the second contest, while White drove in two runs.

Both teams are now 5-1 on the season. Francis Marion will play host to Armstrong Atlantic State University, Saturday at 1 p.m. for a Peach Belt Conference twinbill.