FLORENCE, SC – Senior first baseman Monica Wofford compiled four hits and drove in five runs to pace Francis Marion University to a doubleheader sweep of Georgia Southwestern State University 8-0 and 9-1, Monday (Feb. 11) afternoon in Peach Belt Conference softball play.
The Patriots improve to 3-1 and open 2-0 in PBC play, while handing fourth-year head coach Stacey Vallee her 100th career coaching win. FMU also improves to 103-18 over the past 13 seasons during the month of February. The Lady Hurricanes drop to 7-4 and 0-4.
FMU sophomore left-hander Michaela Wolf (2-1) tossed a five-hit shutout in the opener, while also rapping an RBI double. She struck out three and walked only one in the six-inning contest. In addition to Wofford’s 3-for-4, two-double, three-RBI performance in game one, left fielder Jessica Birchmeier went 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
Amanda Howett was the lone Lady Hurricane with two hits in the opener. Righty Brittany Milstid (4-2) allowed five runs (all earned) and was saddled with the loss.
Wofford tagged a two-run homer in the first inning of the second game. The Myrtle Beach native was also hit by a pitch for the first time in 2008, extending her school-record career total for that misfortune to 43. Stevie Arrand had a two-run single down the right field line and pinch hitter Melanie Bisek drilled a two-run triple.
Junior righty Jessie Alesi (1-0) made her first FMU start a winning one as she allowed only one hit, a second-inning single to right field, and no earned runs. The contest ended in the fifth inning because of the 8-run mercy rule.
Howett (2-1) was the losing pitcher in game two. Left fielder Jennifer Spradley drove in the lone Lady Hurricane run with a squeeze bunt in the second frame.
Francis Marion will play host to Carson-Newman College on Saturday at noon, while Georgia Southwestern will play the State University of West Georgia on Friday at 10 a.m. as part of the two-day West Georgia Tournament.