Erskine Softball traveled to Florence, SC, to take on non-conference opponent Francis Marion in a double header on Thursday night. The Fleet took the first game in an eight inning thriller 3-1 but dropped the second game 6-2.

Game 1: Allison Neely came out strong for the Fleet with a single to right field. She managed to steal second, but FMU closed out the inning before the Fleet could bring her in. FMU put together a strong  first inning but could not bring in their three runners. The next several innings went by fairly quickly until the seventh when Ellison Garren hit a single to left center that advanced Birch to second base and an error by FMU brought her in for an Erskine run. Sydney McInnis hit a single down right field line to get bases loaded. Erskine would end the inning with a one run lead and three players on base. FMU was able to match Erskine's run to send it to extra innings. Neely led the top of the eighth with a double to left field that brought in Ryleigh Davis, and Shi Cain followed with a double of her own to bring Neely in. FMU was unable to bring in a runner in the eighth, giving Erskine the 3-1 win.

Game 2: Game two started slower with the first hit of the game coming in the bottom of the second inning when FMU was able to bring in a runner. FMU would be the only ones to score for the first six innings, heading in to the seventh with a 6-0 lead. In the seventh inning, Birch hit a double down the left field line which brought Neeley in for the Fleet's first run. Birch was able to advance to a scoring position, when a ground out from Garren would bring her in for the Fleet's second run of the game. The late game push wouldn't be enough to over come the deficit and FMU would take the second game 6-2.

The Fleet will host non-conference opponent USC Aiken in a double header on Saturday, February 29.