Feb. 17, 2008

Final Stats

FLORENCE, SC - Senior designated hitter Melanie Bisek hit a walk-off two-run home run to give Francis Marion University a 5-3 win over Carson-Newman College and a sweep of their Saturday afternoon (Feb. 16) non-conference softball doubleheader. FMU sophomore left-hander Michaela Wolf pitched a two-hitter and retired the final 18 Lady Eagle batters in order as the Patriots cruised to a 4-0 victory in game one.

Francis Marion ups its record to 5-1, while Carson-Newman drops to 7-3.

Bisek's shot over the center field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning also made Wolf (4-1) a winner in relief during game two. Four Patriots had two hits in the second contest: Shannan Tyson, Lakyn Bendle, Allie Aleman and Bisek.

FMU took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game two as Aleman laced a run-scoring double to left and later scored on a fielder's choice. Carson-Newman answered with two runs in the third frame, talking advantage of three wild pitches by FMU starter Jessie Alesi.

FMU grabbed a 3-2 advantage in the fifth when Tyson scored on a two-out throwing error by the Lady Eagles, only to see Carson-Newman tie the game in the sixth on an RBI single by Sara Little. Neither team scored in the seventh frame forcing the extra inning.

Carson-Newman senior Zoe Heim (4-2) was tagged with the loss. Mandy Stevens and Whitney Hickam both had two hits for the Lady Eagles in game two.

In the opener, Wolf gave up two singles in the top of the first, the second one coming on a runner's interference for the third out. Two more Carson-Newman runners reached in the top of the second on a pair of Patriot errors, but Wolf then set down the final 18 Lady Eagle batters without allowing another base runner. Wolf finished with five strikeouts.

In the bottom of the second inning, Jessica Birchmeier led off with a triple to right field and Wolf plated her with an RBI single up the middle to put FMU ahead 1-0. The Patriots' other three runs came in the fifth frame when Monica Wofford stroked an RBI single to right center and Aleman followed with a two-run homer to right center.

Wofford, Aleman, Birchmeier, and Kat Beauvais all had two hits for the Patriots in game one.

Sophomore righty Stephanie Templeton (3-1) allowed all four runs to suffer her first loss in four decisions.

Carson-Newman plays host to North Greenville College for a doubleheader on Tuesday at 2 p.m.