GAME ONE BOX      GAME TWO BOX

Florence, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs handed the Patriots of Francis Marion University their first loss of the season, notching a 3-1 victory in game one of an NCAA Division II softball doubleheader Wednesday afternoon. The Patriots rallied for a 5-4 victory in eight innings in game two. The Bulldogs are now 5-3 on the year, while the Patriots move to 7-1 overall.
 
Game One: Wingate 3, Francis Marion 1
 
Junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Senior catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.) had a double, RBI and two runs scored, while sophomore outfielder Jordyn Setzer (Taylorsville, N.C.) added a double and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
The Patriots got on the board first, when junior infielder Tristan Faile (Lancaster, S.C.) led off the second inning with a single, then went to second on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on an RBI double from senior pitcher Kayla Ellingsen (Venice, Fla.) to make it 1-0.
 
Wingate tied it in the fourth, with Barrineau drawing a two-out walk. Loudermilt followed with an RBI double to make it 1-1.
 
The Bulldogs took the lead in the sixth, getting things started with a leadoff single from junior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.). An RBI double to right center from Barrineau put Wingate on top. She would score on Setzer’s RBI double to make it 3-1.
 
That would be enough for freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.), who went the distance to improve to 3-1 on the year. She allowed one run on four hits while striking out four. Ellingsen took the loss, falling to 3-1 on the season. She allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings, striking out nine.
 
Game Two: Francis Marion 5, Wingate 4 (8 innings)
 
Faile went three-for-four with two RBI to lead the Francis Marion attack. Sophomore infielder Sara Broderick (Sunrise, Fla.) was one-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored, while senior infielder Ashley Jaramillo (Canyon Country, Calif.) was two-for-five with an RBI.
 
Freshman infielder Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) had two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Freshman designated player Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) went two-for-four with an RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
The Patriots got on the board first once again in game two, with Broderick drawing a leadoff walk in the first inning, then scoring on an RBI double from Faile to make it 1-0.
 
Wingate had the answer in the second, scoring four times to take a three-run lead. The Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs, and Burrell delivered with a two-run single to give Wingate the lead. Braswell followed with an RBI single, while an FMU error made it 4-1.
 
The Patriots responded with three runs in the fourth to tie it at four. A Broderick sacrifice fly started the scoring, while senior outfielder Destinea Schneider (Jacksonville, Fla.) followed with an RBI single. Another RBI single from Faile tied the game.
 
That would be all of the scoring until extra innings. Wingate was unable to score in the top of the eighth. A runner was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth via the International Tiebreaker Rule. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third, while an RBI single to center from Jaramillo gave the Patriots the 5-4 win.
 
Freshman right-hander Katie Carnes (Pageland, S.C.) got the win, improving to 3-0 on the year. She allowed four unearned runs on six hits in eight innings of work, striking out 12. Paul took the loss, allowing one unearned run on six hits in four innings of work in relief, striking out two while falling to 3-2 on the season.
 
Wingate returns to action Saturday, traveling to UNC Pembroke for a 1 p.m. start.