FMU hosts PBC Softball Tournament at Freedom Florence, Friday - Sunday

FLORENCE, SC – For the second consecutive year, Francis Marion University will serve as host for the Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament. The 10-team, double-elimination event will take place Friday through Sunday (April 17-19) at the Freedom Florence Recreational Complex.
The PBC office announced the tournament seeds on Wednesday afternoon. Second-ranked North Georgia College & State University (37-3) is the top seed, while Francis Marion (28-17) is the seventh seed.
The 2009 All-Conference Team will be announced at a banquet on Thursday evening.
Daily admission to the tournament will be $6 for ages 13 and above, $4 for ages 6-12, and ages under 6 free. Tournament passes will be available for $15 (adults) and $10 (children).
The tournament gets underway on Friday with three games each at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and two contests at 4 p.m. Action resumes on Saturday with two games at 11 a.m. and two games at 1:30 p.m., three games at 4 p.m., and one game at 6:30 p.m. The two remaining losers’ bracket teams will play at noon on Sunday with the winner advancing to the championship game at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Scores will be available on the web at http://www.fmupatriots.com/sports/sball/2008-09/news/SB_PBC_Tournament_Apr_13
Francis Marion will play 10th-seeded Lander University (13-29) in its first game on Friday at 11 a.m. If the Patriots win that contest, they will play again immediately at 1:30 p.m. A loss in the 11 a.m. game has FMU playing at 4 p.m. on Friday.
The tournament winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
FMU swept a pair of games from Lander, 4-2 and 3-0, on March 4 in Florence, and the Patriots lead the all-time series 51-25.
Junior southpaw Michaela Wolf leads the Patriot pitching staff with a 16-9 record and a 1.66 earned run average. Wolf and junior outfielder Jessica Birchmeier lead the FMU regulars with .346 batting averages. Freshman second baseman Ashley Jaramillo leads the Patriots with 14 doubles, five home runs, and 30 runs batted in.
Francis Marion finished third in last year’s tournament, the second time the program has gotten to within one game of the title contest (also accomplished in 2004). The Patriots have an all-time record of 23-28 in tournament play. FMU also hosted the tournament in 1997.
The top seed has won three of the past five tournaments, although Georgia College & State University won last year’s tournament as the third seed.


2009 Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament Schedule at Freedom Florence

Friday, April 17, 2009
Game 1: 11:00 AM #8 UNC Pembroke vs. #9 Georgia Southwestern
Game 2: 11:00 AM #7 Francis Marion vs. #10 Lander
Game 3: 11:00 AM #4 Armstrong Atlantic State vs. #5 Augusta State
Game 4: 1:30 PM #3 USC Aiken vs. #6 Columbus State
Game 5: 1:30 PM #2 Georgia College & State vs. Game 2 Winner
Game 6: 1:30 PM #1 North Georgia vs. Game 1 Winner
Game 7: 4:00 PM Game 1 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser
Game 8: 4:00 PM Game 2 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser

Saturday, April 18, 2009
Game 9: 11:00 AM Game 6 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner
Game 10: 11:00 AM Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner
Game 11: 1:30 PM Game 7 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser
Game 12: 1:30 PM Game 8 Winner vs. Game 5 Loser
Game 13: 4:00 PM Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner
Game 14: 4:00 PM Game 11 Winner vs. Game 10 Loser
Game 15: 4:00 PM Game 12 Winner vs. Game 9 Loser
Game 16: 6:30 PM Game 14 Winner vs. Game 15 Winner

Sunday, April 19, 2009
Game 17: 12:00 PM Game 16 Winner vs. Game 13 Loser
Game 18: 2:30 PM Game 13 Winner vs. Game 17 Winner
Game 19: 5:00 PM (If necessary)