By: Story from Francis Marion Athletic Communications
FLORENCE, S.C. – Second-ranked and top-seeded Francis Marion University saw its historic season come to an end with a narrow 5-3 loss to 11th-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia, Friday afternoon (May 16) in the final game of the best two-out-of-three NCAA Division II Softball Southeast Super Regional.
FMU had forced the "if necessary" game by defeating the Nighthawks 9-0 in five innings earlier on Friday afternoon.
Francis Marion ends its season with a 53-6 record, the most wins ever by a Patriot athletic team. North Georgia (48-14) advances to the Division II World Series.
In the final game, junior outfielder Paige Strickland and junior designated player Anderson Thrower each tallied two hits. Strickland also drove in two runs with her 14th home run of the season to end the year with a school-record 84 runs batted in. She also set a Patriot single-season mark for total bases at 154.
Junior shortstop Madalyn White also had a hit to extend her hitting streak to 20 games, equaling the third longest streak in program history. White finished her six games in the NCAA Tournament batting 15-for-25 (.600). The Currie, N.C., native also leads Division II with a school-record 102 hits.
FMU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Starting pitcher Jenna Walling drew a one-out walk and was pinch run for by sophomore Karson Cuozzo. After a fly out, Cuozzo moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-double to the center field wall by junior second baseman Rylie Webster.
The Nighthawks answered immediately with a run in the top of the third inning.
The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 until UNG plated four runs in the top of the fifth and chased Walling (20-3) from the circle. Junior first baseman Marycille Brumby, the hero of Thursday's win, led off with a home run over the center field wall. Run-scoring hits by Sydnee Reaves and Natalie Ray also pushed home runs.
Now trailing 5-1, Francis Marion put its first two runners on base in the bottom of the frame, but a double play helped extinguish the threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, Strickland launched her two-run homer to the base of the scoreboard in left field. With two outs, Thrower singled down the left field line bringing the potential tying run to the plate. UNG junior righty Chloe Poss (20-4) recorded a strikeout of the Patriot pinch hitter to end the contest.
Walling allowed four runs on seven hits over four innings. Junior southpaw Alyssa Poston recorded the final nine outs and surrendered one unearned run on three hits.
To force the "if necessary" game, FMU won its seventh consecutive elimination game earlier in the day, blanking North Georgia 9-0 in five innings as Walling tossed a two-hitter.
Playing as the visiting team on its own home field, Francis Marion scored three times in the top of the first. White opened the game with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Strickland singled through the left side putting runners on the corners. Strickland stole second before Thrower sent an RBI-single to left field. White's run set a new school record in that department at 78. Thrower stole second and continued on to third when the throw to second was wild, while Strickland scored on the miscue. Junior catcher Kendal Miller plated Thrower with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Walling held UNG hitless until one out in the third. However, on that hit Brumby was cut down at the plate trying to score. Webster then made a nice defensive play on a ball hit back up the middle to end the inning.
FMU senior Samantha Turnage expanded the lead to 7-0 with a two-out, pinch-hit grand slam in the top of the fourth. She drove a 3-2 pitch from freshman right-hander Graci West (7-2) over the left-centerfield wall.
Konz and Strickland both walked and eventually scored on wild pitches in the fifth to give the Patriots the 8-run mercy rule win.
The Patriots were vying for their second-ever trip to the NCAA Division II World Series.
Four Patriots donned the red, white, and blue for the final time on Friday: Konz, Turnage, utility player Emma Moberg, and third baseman Peyton Gale.
#11 U. of North Georgia 5, #2 Francis Marion Univ. 3 (May 16, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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U. of North Georgia.. 001 040 0 - 5 10 1 (48-14)
Francis Marion Univ. 010 000 2 - 3 9 2 (53-6)
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Pitchers: U. of North Georgia - Angelina Badalament; Chloe Poss(1) and Carleigh Knowles. Francis Marion Univ. - Jenna Walling; Alyssa Poston(5) and Kendal Miller; Marlee McCormick.
Win-Chloe Poss (20-4) Loss-Jenna Walling (20-3) T-1:57 A-192
HR UNGS25 - Marycille Brumby (10).
HR FMU_SB - Paige Strickland (14).
Weather: Hazy,Hot,93,Winds NE@4 mph
Walling faced 3 batters in the 5th.
#2 Francis Marion Univ. 9, #11 U. of North Georgia 0 (May 16, 2025 at Florence, SC)
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Francis Marion Univ. 300 42 - 9 6 1 (53-5)
U. of North Georgia.. 000 00 - 0 2 1 (47-14)
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Pitchers: Francis Marion Univ. - Jenna Walling and Kendal Miller; Marlee McCormick.
U. of North Georgia - Graci West; Mallory Forrester(6) and Carleigh Knowles.
Win-Jenna Walling (20-2) Loss-Graci West (7-2) T-1:31 A-192
HR FMU_SB - Samantha Turnage (1).
Weather: Hazy,Hot,90,Winds calm
M. Forrester faced 3 batters in the 5th.