FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-15-06

College Softball: Armstrong Atlantic 10-4, Francis Marion 9-3

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State softball squad came away with two one-run wins in their final at-bats on Saturday, sweeping Francis Marion in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at the AASU Softball Field. The Pirates scored the winning run on a seventh-inning wild pitch in game one’s 10-9 win, then scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to complete the sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Patriots.

Both teams traded big innings in game one as the Patriots (26-14, 7-9 PBC) scored four runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-1 lead, but the Pirates (34-21, 11-7 PBC) responded with a seven-run fifth inning, sending 13 batters to the plate, to take an 8-6 lead. An Ashley Bain solo home run in the sixth stretched the lead to 9-6, but the Patriots staged a seventh-inning rally, scoring three times in the seventh to tie the game at 9-all. Armstrong Atlantic pushed across the winning run in the bottom half as Colleen Markyna singled up the middle, then Veronica Castro singled to left and Danielle Bertram beat out a bunt base hit to load the bases. FMU reliever Serena Lim (10-8) then uncorked a wild pitch, scoring pinch runner Angela Long with the winning run. Lim pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up six hits and three runs – two earned – to take the loss, while AASU reliever Courtney Tucker (9-5) hurled 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and three runs while striking out four to get the win.

In game two, the Pirates scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, but the Patriots again rallied, plating a single run in the fifth on Lakyn Bendle’s RBI single and then plating two more in the sixth against Heather Woods. With the bases still loaded, however, Woods induced a 4-2-3 double play off the bat of Shannan Tyson to end the threat. AASU then scored twice in the sixth as Castro singled home Bain with the tying run, then Markyna drew a bases-loaded walk from Jessica Johnson for the go-ahead run. FMU had one more shot in the seventh, but a double steal with runners on first and third went awry and Tatjana Slawson was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning, and Woods struck out Monica Wofford to end the game.

Woods (11-8) hurled a complete game, giving up nine hits and three runs in seven innings while striking out six to pick up the win in game two, while Johnson (15-6) took the loss in relief, giving up three runs and four hits in four innings pitched.

Ashley Bain had a four-for-four day in game one, including a double and a home run, while Danielle Bertram also collected four hits in the doubleheader for the Pirates. Amber Hunt drove in a run in each game, and her RBI single in the second game broke the single-season RBI record for the Pirates – she now has 57 RBIs in the campaign. Monica Wofford went 3-for-7 in the doubleheader with a solo home run and two RBI, while Bendle, Janine Allen and Megan Pangburn also collected three hits apiece.

With the wins, the Pirates tie for fourth in the PBC standings at 11-7 with USC Upstate. Saturday was also the final home game for three AASU seniors as Bertram, Deanna Beaty and Jeana Short all played their games at the AASU Softball Field.

The Pirates wrap up their regular season with a 2:00 p.m. doubleheader at North Florida on Tuesday, April 18, in Jacksonville. Francis Marion concludes its regular season with a rain-rescheduled doubleheader at North Georgia at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19.

- Pirates -