March 2, 2008

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LAURINBURG, N.C.—Francis Marion University rattled off 27 hits in a 13-0 and 16-5 NCAA Division II softball doubleheader sweep at non-conference St. Andrews Presbyterian College on Sunday afternoon.

The Patriots, who boast a 16-4 overall record, extended their current win streak to six games while the Knights fell to 1-14 on the season.

Sophomore Jessica Birchmeier (Port Richey, Fla.) and junior Shannon Tyson (Seminole, Fla.) led FMU’s offensive assault with five hits apiece. Three other Patriots collected four hits on the day including sophomore Michaela Wolf (Littleton, Ohio) and seniors Monica Wofford (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), and Allie Aleman (Santa Ana, Calif.).

Birchmeier, Wolf, and Aleman all drove in four runs while Aleman had the only home run on the day. Tyson crossed home plate six times while Birchmeier scored five times.

Junior Tiffany Capone (Jacksonville, N.C.) had two of SAPC’s six hits on the afternoon.

St. Andrews next hosts non-conference West Virginia State College on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. while Francis Marion visits Peach Belt rival Lander University on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

GAME 1: Francis Marion 13, St. Andrews 0 (5 innings)

Francis Marion scored 13 runs on 12 hits in the first game. Wolf (who got the start in the opener) helped her self out by driving in four Patriots runs on four singles. Wolf was equally as impressive on the mound, earning her 11th win of the season. Wolf (11-2) only allowed one hit in 4.0 innings of work.

Patriots’ junior reliever Jessie Alesi (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) loaded the bases with three walks but was able to escape the fifth without giving up a hit or run to preserve the shutout.

Knights’ senior starter Samantha Stewart (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) was tagged with the loss allowing four runs on six hits in the first three innings. Stewart had St. Andrews only hit.

In her first pitching performance of the year, sophomore Daisy Mendez (Miami, Fla.) allowed nine unearned runs on six hits in the final two innings. Francis Marion took advantage of five Knights errors in that span to pull away to the 13-run victory.

Birchmeier, who was 3-for-3 in the first game, drove in three FMU runs with a two-run single in the third and a one-run double in the fourth. Junior Shawn Moore (Pamplico, S.C.) and sophomore Kat Beauvais (Manassas, Va.) each added an RBI for the visitors.

GAME 2: Francis Marion 16, St. Andrews 5 (6 innings)

After a scoreless first inning, Aleman crushed a solo home run to lead off the second to put the Patriots ahead for good. Aleman drilled her fourth homer of the season over the left field fence.

Francis Marion added four more runs in the third inning before St. Andrews got on the board with two runs in the home half of the second. Sophomore Brianna Shurtleff (Colton, Calif.) drove in senior Erin Haugen (Ft. Mill, S.C.) with a triple to right field and then scored on a passed ball.

The Patriots extended their lead to 9-2 with three runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.

The Knights set themselves up for a big fifth, loading the bases with no outs but FMU kept the damage to just two runs. After an RBI-walk by Stewart an RBI-single by Capone, the Patriots wiggled out of the bases loaded jam with three straight groundouts.

Francis Marion finally put St. Andrews away by exploding for seven runs in the sixth. Tyson and Aleman highlighted the Patriots big inning with two-run singles.

Senior starter Melanie Bisek (Oregon, Wis.) picked up the win allowing four runs on four hits and one walk over 5.0 innings. Bisek improves to 4-1 on the season.

In her first start of the season, Mendez (0-1) took the loss allowing five runs on five hits while striking out two.

Tyson, Aleman, and Wofford all went 4-for-5 in the nightcap as Francis Marion collected 15 hits in the finale.