PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Erskine College softball team (4-20, 0-8 CC) lost both games of a doubleheader against No. 7 Francis Marion University University (27-3, 9-1 CC) at the FMU Softball Stadium on Friday and then lost both games of a doubleheader against UNC Pembroke (16-19, 7-3 CC) at Purnell Swett HS on Saturday.

THE ESSENTIALS 
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Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1: Francis Marion 9-0 Erskine (Final / 5 innings)
Taking on the seventh-ranked team in the country on the road to begin the weekend, Erskine allowed three runs in the opening inning to fall into an early deficit. The hosts added on in the second and fourth innings, and the Fleet offense was held in check by one of the premier pitchers in the region for FMU in Game 1.

Game 2: Francis Marion 19-1 Erskine (Final / 5 innings)
In the back half of the doubleheader, the visitors opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the opening inning and posted a six-run third inning to put the Fleet in a sizeable hole. Peyton Rabon launched a solo home run in the fourth inning to get Erskine on the board, her second home run of the season, but Erskine could not keep up with the high-powered Francis Marion offense.

Game 3: UNC Pembroke 5-1 Erskine
The following day, Erskine took on UNC Pembroke and Rabon picked up right where she left off, launching an opposite-field solo home run to open the scoring in the top of the first. But, the Braves answered back with a run of their own in the bottom half and took the lead in the third, while the Fleet could not continue after a hot start at the plate.

Game 4: UNC Pembroke 6-4 Erskine
In the final game of the weekend, it was UNC Pembroke who scored first, but the Fleet had an answer. Savannah Koester's RBI in the second inning tied the game at 1, and then freshman Emily Brown hit a run-scoring double in the third to bring home Amber Clark and give Erskine a 2-1 lead after three innings. The Fleet started adding to their advantage with RBIs on infield singles from Gabby Burroughs and Addy Crawford in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, opening up a 4-1 lead. But, UNC Pembroke rallied in the final two innings as the Fleet could not hold on in the weekend finale.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine starts an extensive home stand over the next few weeks when the Fleet host Shorter University (4-21, 1-7 CC) for a doubleheader on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

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