Due West, SC – The Patriots of Francis Marion swept a nonconference softball double header from Erskine Thursday afternoon.

Game One

Francis Marion would score five unanswered runs to take the lead.  In the bottom of the fifth, Baylee Browning would walk to lead off the inning and then Kaitlyn Kerley would get hit by a pitch to put two runners on.  Mia Blochviak would single up the middle to score one and make it 5-1.  With two outs, Sydney Smith would hit a two run single to right center to cut the Patriot lead to two.  Francis Marion would explode for four runs in the top of the sixth to blow the game open and hold on for the 9-3 victory.

Reagan Davis was 2-4 with a double for the Fleet, while Brittany Reynolds, Britton Young, Smith, and Blochivak each had one hit.  Kaylin White (1-2) took the loss allowing three earned runs in six hits and striking out three in four innings of work.

Game Two

Neither team would get any offense going in game two as neither team would score in the first four innings.  In the fifth, Francis Marion would take advantage of an Erskine error to take a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom half of the inning, Young would lead off with a single and Brittany Rhinehardt would reach on an error.  Christine Long would then line a double to left center to score both runners and give Erskine the 2-1 lead.  The Patriots would answer with two runs in the sixth to regain the lead and hold on for the 3-2 victory.

Davis again had two hits for the Fleet, while Long was 1-2 and drove in both Erskine runs.  Candace Fitch (4-3) took the loss allowing three runs on four hits and striking out five.