Francis Marion, King Fall in Regional Semifinals
WINGATE, N.C./DAHLONEGA, Ga. - Francis Marion and King each went 1-1 on the second day of the 2023 NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals on Friday as each lost in the semifinals.
In Wingate, North Carolina, the Patriots (42-13) opened the day with a 5-3 victory over sixth-seeded Carson-Newman as Rachel Davis (19-9) earned the win with three runs allowed on eight hits with three strikeouts in a complete-game. Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Megan Matsil took care of the offense as she went 3-for-4 with three RBIs while Madalyn White (2-for-3) and Makayla Cuthbertson (1-for-3) each scored twice. Matsil doubled home two in the third and another in the fifth for the game-winning run. The Eagles scored their runs in the sixth on a three-run home run while Taylor Watford added insurance with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame.
Francis Marion faced host and second-seeded Wingate for the second straight day after the Bulldogs lost to No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne, 2-1, earlier in the day. After getting just one hit on Thursday, the Patriots scored six runs on nine hits on Friday, but fell in nine innings, 7-6. Katie Smith put FMU up early with an RBI base hit in the second inning and Reagan Glanz scored on a double-steal for a 2-0 lead. A Savana Rosson sacrifice fly in the third pushed the lead to three before a four-run third put the home team in front, 4-3. Glanz gave the Patriots back the lead in the fifth with a two-run single, but Wingate answered with a run of their own in the bottom half. Danielle Karacson homered in the top of the seventh, but a two-out single for the Bulldogs tied the game and two singles and an error in the ninth ended the FMU season.
Matsil and Cuthbertson each had two hits in the loss while Karacson scored twice and drove in one while Glanz drove in two and scored once. Jenna Walling (20-4) pitched well in relief as she allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
In Dahlonega, Georgia, King played fifth-seeded Lincoln Memorial to a 2-2 tie through six innings before posting four runs in the seventh to come away with the 6-2 victory. Jessica Campbell, who finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, delivered the game-winning hit, a single to left-center to plate Camryn Haag. Lauren Lawson, Carly Turner and Lilly Million each added an RBI in the inning. Turner finished 3-for-3 with an RBI while Haylee Dye had two hits and scored once in the 11-hit attack for King. Nikole Counts (4-8) earned the win for the Tornado as she allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in the complete-game victory.
Against No. 4 Columbus State, who fell to top-seeded North Georgia 8-0 in five innings to start the day, King again scored first as Campbell plated a run with an infield single and Dye was hit-by-pitch for the 2-0 lead in the second. A strikeout, wild pitch scored the first Cougars run in the third and a two-out, two-run single in the fifth gave CSU the win.
Campbell paced the four-hit attack with two hits and an RBI while Million had a hit and scored a run. Savana Luper (13-7) took the loss as she allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits over five innings with five strikeouts while Jessica Lopez (13-2) earned the win in relief as she tossed five perfect innings with four strikeouts.
Fans can read the Francis Marion releases here and the King releases are available
here.
2023 NCAA Division II Southeast Region #1 Schedule
REGIONAL WEBSITE | TICKETS
Thursday May 11
Game 1: #1 North Georgia def. #8 King, 8-0 (Box Score)
Game 2: #4 Columbus State def. #5 Lincoln Memorial, 3-1
Friday May 12
Game 3: #1 North Georgia def. #4 Columbus State, 8-0 (5)
Game 4: #8 King def. #5 Lincoln Memorial, 6-2 (Box Score)
Game 5: #4 Columbus State def. #8 King, 3-2 (Box Score)
Saturday May 13
Game 6: #1 North Georgia vs. #4 Columbus State, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (If Necessary), 2 p.m.
2023 NCAA Division II Southeast Region #2 Schedule
REGIONAL WEBSITE | TICKETS
Thursday, May 11 (Wingate, N.C.)
Game 1: #2 Wingate def. #7 Francis Marion, 2-0 (Box Score)
Game 2: #3 Lenoir-Rhyne def. #6 Carson-Newman, 6-1
Friday, May 12 (Wingate, N.C.)
Game 3: #3 Lenoir-Rhyne def. #2 Wingate, 2-1
Game 4: #7 Francis Marion def. #6 Carson-Newman, 5-3 (Box Score)
Game 5: #2 Wingate def. #7 Francis Marion, 7-6 (9)(Box Score)
Saturday, May 13 (Wingate, N.C.)
Game 6: #3 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. #2 Wingate, 1 p.m.
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (If Necessary), 3:30 p.m.