Georgia Southwestern dropped a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader to No. 9-ranked Francis Marion on Tuesday afternoon at Lady ‘Canes Field. GSW lost the first game 9-1 and couldn't hold off FMU in the nightcap, falling 5-2.
In game one, the Patriots scored two runs in the first for a quick 2-0 lead. FMU opened things up in the second frame when Jessica Birchmeier hit a two-out grand slam to give the Patriots a 6-0 advantage.
Michaela Wolf, Francis Marion's starting pitcher, helped her cause when she added a run for the Patriots in the fourth inning with a solo shot to right.
Wolf hit her second home run of the game, a two-run bullet to right, in the sixth to complete the scoring for FMU.
The Lady ‘Canes got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Brandi Pratt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home Mariko Nomura.
Wolf (12-4) held the Lady 'Canes to five hits while striking out four and not walking a batter.
Tiffany Milstid (0-5) took the loss, allowing five earned runs in three innings of work. She surrendered six hits and walked a batter.
Wolf went 2-for-2 with the two home runs and three RBI. Birchmeier was 2-for-4 with five RBI and Ashley Jaramillo had two doubles and scored two runs in the contest.
Nichole Griffin led GSW at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance that included a double.
In the nightcap, GSW (8-25, 2-8 PBC) scored a pair of runs in the first inning to stake their first lead of the afternoon, 2-0.
Back-to-back throwing errors put runners on second and third for GSW. Heather Chambers cleared the bases with a single to center.
The Lady 'Canes would hold that advantage until the fourth inning, when Francis Marion (21-6, 5-3 PBC) tied the ballgame with a two-run frame highlighted by a Jaramillo two-out double down the left field line.
The Patriots would take the lead in the fifth when Wolf brought three runners in with a single to dead center that hit off the wall.
Southwestern out-hit FMU (8-5) in game two, but left 11 on base as opposed to only five by the Patriots.
Lauren Bubeck (6-2) pitched a complete game for the win. She struck out five, walked one and did not allow an earned run.
Jessica Martin (2-7) took the loss for GSW, walking six while striking out two in the complete game effort.
Chambers and Gabby Buck had multi-hit games for the Lady Hurricanes. Buck, who has hit safely in nine consecutive games, finished 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Chambers went 2-for-4 and had the two RBI.
GSW travels to Emmanuel College on Friday for a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
PICTURED: Gabby Buck
PHOTO BY: Chris Fenn