FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-12-08

College Softball: AASU 3-4, No. 4 Francis Marion 0-2

The two wins over the fourth-ranked Patriots marked the highest-ranked opponent AASU has swept since the Pirates took two from then-No. 2 Kennesaw State on April 9, 2000. More importantly, the two wins clinched a second-place finish in the league for the Pirates – AASU’s highest finish in the Peach Belt since the 2004 season – and secured the second seed in the upcoming PBC Championships.

        Coming off of a 13-inning shutout win over Augusta State on Monday, Crane (10-6) limited the Patriots to just four hits in game one, striking out four and walking one in the 3-0 victory. The shutout also extended her consecutive scoreless inning streak to 25 2/3 innings, dating back to a 4-3 win over GCSU on April 3rd. AASU provided all the offense Crane would need in the first on Ashley Bain’s RBI single and Jessica Strong’s RBI double. Tori Richter completed the scoring with an RBI single in the fifth inning. Michaela Wolf took the loss in game one for the Patriots, giving up seven hits and three runs in six innings while striking out six.

In game two, the Pirates (26-17, 13-5 PBC) pushed across a run in the bottom of the first on Bain’s squeeze bunt, scoring Erin Billingsley, who slid in safely underneath the tag of Francis Marion catcher Kayla Ruede. Francis Marion (30-11, 10-8 PBC) took the lead in the top of the second when Wolf knocked a one-out double, then Allie Aleman followed with a single to center. Jessica Strong’s throw from center field went into the FMU dugout, scoring Wolf and putting Aleman on third. A squeeze bunt by Kat Beauvais scored Aleman to make it 2-1.

AASU tied the game in the bottom of the third on Kari Marsico’s sacrifice fly to center field. The Pirates took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth on Richter’s infield RBI single that scored Strong from third, then added an insurance run in the sixth on a wild pitch.

Sam Floyd (10-8) went the distance for the Pirates in game two, giving up five hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out eight. Wolf (21-8) entered the second game in the third inning and took the loss, giving up five hits and two runs in 3 2/3 innings, striking out three.

Erin Billingsley had three hits and scored three runs for the Pirates, while Strong, Richter and Natalie Vogler each collected three hits as well. Francis Marion was led by Monica Wofford, who reached base five times in the doubleheader, while collecting two hits, along with Shannan Tyson.

Saturday was the final home game for three AASU seniors – Vogler, Marsico and Sara Morris. The Pirates will now head to the Peach Belt Conference tournament as the No. 2 seed and play the No. 7 seed – either USC Aiken or Augusta State – at Noon on Friday, April 18, at the Freedom Complex in Florence, S.C.

- Pirates -