Florence, S.C. - The 11th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University Softball Team (2-2) split a doubleheader with Francis Marion University (4-1) Sunday afternoon.? The Bears won the first game by a 5-2 score while the Patriots prevailed in the nightcap, 7-4.
Game One - Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Francis Marion 2
The Bears broke a one-all tie by plating three runs in the third inning thanks to an RBI double by sophomore designated player Megan Laxton (Taylorsville, N.C.) and a two-run double by junior pinch hitter Brittany Davidson (Fort Defiance, Va.) for a 4-1 advantage.
The Patriots cut the margin to 4-2 in their half of the fourth on a run-scoring infield single by Kayla Bowie (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) but the Bears responded with junior catcher Sarah Atkins' (Newport News, Va.) RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to make it a three-run final.
L-R junior Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) improved to 2-0 on the year after picking up the win while freshman Julia Wakefield (Hickory, N.C.) registered the save.? Francis Marion's Kayla Ellingsen (Venice, Fla.) fell to 2-1 after suffering the defeat.
Box Score
Game Two - Francis Marion 7, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
The Patriots rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take the game and salvage the split.
L-R plated three runs in the top of the first inning capped off by a two-run home run from sophomore first baseman Jessica Fellmeth (Waxhaw, N.C.).
Francis Marion came right back to make it 3-2 in the bottom of the first on Tristan Faile's (Lancaster, S.C.) two-run double.
A pair of errors helped the Patriots score twice in fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead but the Bears tied the contest at four with Fellmeth's RBI single in the fifth frame.
However, Francis Marion scored two more in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good.? Faile led off the inning with a solo home run which proved to be the game-winner.
Fellmeth led L-R with three hits and three runs batted in while Faile paced Francis Marion with a pair of hits and three RBI.
The Patriots' Cea Knox (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) (1-0) was credited with the win while Laxton suffered the setback for the Bears.? Ellingsen pitched two scoreless innings for Francis Marion in earning the save.
Box Score
Lenoir-Rhyne hosts Augusta State in a doubleheader in the Bears' 2011 home opener on Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m.
