Arrand’s homer gives Patriots a softball split with 4-3 win

FLORENCE, SC – Senior right fielder Stevie Arrand lined a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning as 19th-ranked Francis Marion University claimed a rain-delayed 4-3 win over conference-leading Georgia College & State University, Sunday afternoon (March 29) and a split of the Peach Belt Conference twinbill that began on Saturday morning.

The game was halted by rain on Saturday with the score tied at 3-3 and the Patriots coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning.

When play resumed on Sunday, following a ground out, Arrand belted the second pitch she saw from GCSU righty Mandy Chandler (21-9) for a solo homer, her second round-tripper of the year.

In the top of the seventh, Francis Marion freshman right-hander Lauren Bubeck (8-3) allowed a pair of walks, but got Bobcat catcher Anna Parker to pop out for the game’s final out.

Francis Marion improves to 24-11 overall and 6-6 in the Peach Belt, while GCSU drops to 24-16 and 10-2.

Prior to Saturday’s rain, FMU freshman second baseman Ashley Jaramillo doubled in the bottom of the first, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on another illegal pitch call against Chandler. Shannan Tyson walked with the bases loaded in the next inning to up the Patriot lead to 2-0.

GCSU center fielder Sherquita Bostick tied the score in the Bobcats’ next at bat when she hammered a two-run homer over the left field fence. The Bobcats took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when pinch runner Stephanie Lezcano came across to score on an RBI single to right center by Haley Holloway.

Facing the threat of approaching rain, down 3-2, and finishing the required five innings to make the contest official, the Patriots rallied in the fifth inning. Tyson lined a double to right center field, took third on a sacrifice bunt by Lakyn Bendle, and then scored the tying run on an RBI single to left field by Jaramillo. However, the Patriots left runners on second and third in that frame.

Bubeck then stranded three Bobcat runners on base as the rain fell in the top of the sixth inning. FMU was not able to send a runner to the plate in the bottom of the frame before the umpires stopped play.

Jaramillo was 2-for-2 in game two, while Holloway had a pair of singles for the Bobcats. Chandler struck out seven Patriots in the second game, while Bubeck fanned three and walked five. Only two of the three runs she allowed were earned.

GCSU won Saturday’s first game 3-1,

FMU plays a PBC twinbill at Columbus State University on Monday at noon, while GCSU plays at Armstrong Atlantic State University on Monday at 2 p.m.


Michael G. Hawkins