PEMBROKE, NC – Senior first baseman Monica Wofford drilled a solo home run and her two-run single in the sixth inning erased a one-run deficit and gave Francis Marion University a 5-4 win over Armstrong Atlantic State University, Saturday afternoon (May 10) in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Women’s Softball South Atlantic Regional.

The fifth-seeded Patriots (36-14) advance to face unbeaten and sixth-seeded North Georgia College & State University later Saturday at 4 p.m. in the tournament championship game.  If FMU wins that game, the two teams would play a second and final championship contest at 8 p.m. Saturday night. The regional is being played at LRA Field on the campus of UNC Pembroke.

Wofford gave Francis Marion a 1-0 lead with her eighth homer of the season, a solo shot over the left field fence in the third inning.  AASU evened the score at 1-1 with an unearned run in the fourth frame.  Jessica Strong doubled and later scored on an infield single and a throwing error.

FMU answered with a single run in the fifth to go up 2-1 when Michaela Wolf singled home Lakyn Bendle.  Wofford had an infield single during the inning.

AASU plated three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 4-2 advantage.  Ashley Bain stroked a two-out run-scoring single through the left side to knot the score at 2-2.  A second run scored on the play when the throw from the left fielder got past the catcher and Bain went all the way around to third.  Strong then completed the scoring by plating Bain with a single to left.

With one out in the top of the next inning (sixth), Francis Marion used three hits, two walks, and an error to score three times and take a 5-4 lead.  With the bases loaded, Shannan Tyson hit a bloop to short left field that scored the first run and all runners moved up one base as the throw to third was dropped on what would have been a force out.  After a strike out for the second out, Wofford drilled her two-run single to left giving FMU a 5-4 lead.

Wolf (26-11) then retired six of the last seven batters she faced over the final two innings.  She scattered eight hits and walked only two. Only one of the four runs she allowed was earned. 

Righty Sam Floyd (10-12) was charged with the loss.  She struck out four and walked three in 5.1 innings while allowing three earned runs.  She also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, while Strong also had two hits.

Wofford finished the game 3-for-4 as did designated hitter Jessie Alesi.

“I am proud of the way we never quit,” said FMU head coach Stacey Vallee.  “We have had that mentality throughout the regional.  Michaela (Wolf) stepped up as the leader we needed her to be, while not letting a few errors behind her get her down.

“Monica (Wofford) has been feeling it lately. With a one-run decision, every run counts and she produced three really big ones.  We have also used almost the entire bench and quite a few folks have contributed.”