FLORENCE, SC - Sophomore left-hander Michaela Wolf went 3-for-4, drove in two runs, and pitched six shutout innings to rally sixth-seeded Francis Marion University to a 5-4 win over fifth-seeded Columbus State University in an elimination game at the 2008 Peach Belt Conference Tournament on Saturday evening (April 19), the team’s third win of the day to stay alive in the tournament.

The 18th-ranked Patriots (33-12) won all three of their elimination games on Saturday at Freedom Florence to advance to Sunday’s play and equal their best tournament finish ever. FMU will face fourth-seeded North Georgia College & State University at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The winner of that game will face unbeaten (in tournament play) and third-seeded Georgia College & State University in the championship game at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Freedom Florence.

Earlier in the day, FMU blasted seventh-seeded USC Aiken 13-4 and then eliminated fifth-ranked and top-seeded UNC Pembroke 3-2 in eight innings.

In the victory over CSU, FMU took a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first on a run-scoring single by Wolf. Columbus State quickly answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame against Wolf who was making her third start of the day.

However, Wolf (23-9) then blanked the Cougars for the remaining six innings while striking out four and allowing no walks. Francis Marion rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth inning to go ahead 5-4. Monica Wofford scored on an errant throw by the CSU right fielder, Wolf doubled home a run, and senior second baseman Allie Aleman knotted the score at 4-4 when her double plated pinch runner Maria Goode. Sophomore third baseman Kat Beauvais then drove in the go-ahead run with a one-out RBI single to left field.

In the bottom of the seventh, Wolf retired the first two batters, but a single and a line-drive double put runners on second and third. The 6-0 southpaw then retired Allison Paul on a pop-up to short to end the game.

In addition to Wolf’s three hits, Wofford and Jessica Birchmeier each had two hits for the Patriots.

In the upset of UNCP (44-12), the Patriots took advantage of an unearned run in the top of the eighth to win. With two outs and runners on first and second, Wolf popped the ball up behind second base. The Braves’ second baseman had the ball pop out of her glove and the center fielder tried to catch it on the deflection. However, it was ruled that the ball touched the ground before it was gloved by the center fielder allowing Wofford to score the go-ahead run.

Wolf allowed only three hits, two of which came in a two-run second frame by UNCP. She fanned seven and walked three. She also tied the game at 2-2 with a two-run homer over the left center field fence in the top of the fourth. She had a second-inning single to finish the game 2-for-4.

Birchmeier was 3-for-4 to pace the Patriots.

In the opening win over USCA (22-29), Francis Marion scored five runs in the bottom of the first and never trailed en route to the five-inning win. A six-run second frame upped the advantage to 11-0.

Senior righty Melanie Bisek (8-2) took over for Wolf in the third inning and earned the win. Wofford had three hits, scored three times, and drove in two runs, while both Birchmeier and Beauvais both had two hits and two RBIs. Aleman also had a pair of hits, and Wolf drove in two runs.