CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens softball wrapped up the 2010 regular season with a pair of nonconference games at Francis Marion in Florence, S.C. The Royals (22-23/13-6 CC) fell to the Patriots (31-12/13-7 PB) by scores of 2-0 and 2-1. Both contests were close and the tough competition is a good warm up for Queens heading into the Conference Carolinas Championship Tournament which starts on April 16 in Hartsville, S.C.
Game One
It was no slugfest in the first game of the afternoon. Only six hits were recorded, one for Queens and five for Francis Marion, in the event.
The game was scoreless through four and a half innings with FMU having the only real chance to post runs before the bottom of the fifth. In the home half of the third FMU's Kat Beauvais singled then stole second. Two batters later Ashley Jaramillo singled to put runners on the corners.
Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawhatchee) walked Michela Wolf, one of four on the day, to load the bases with two outs. A fly ball to center ended the inning and left all three on.
The two runs were posted after Dodge walked the second and third batters of the inning and Jaramillo tripled to right center to earn the two RBIs.
Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st) singled in the bottom of the seventh to register the lone Royals hit of the game. Beauvis and Jaramillo each had two hits for FMU.
Dodge struck out five in the losing effort and drops to 15-10 on the year. Wolf walked one and sat nine down with K's to improve to 17-6 on the year.
Game Two
The second game saw a more action at the plate, but not many more runs. Queens, led by
Brandy Jester (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central), had six hits and FMU had seven.
The Royals converted two hit and an error to score the first run of the game.
Carrie Beth Richie (Fayetteville, N.C., Northwood Temple Academy) scored the run after reaching on a fielder's choice and Dodge drove her in with a single to right field.
The 1-0 lead would last through the bottom of the seventh.
Meghan Heiser hit a run-scoring fielder's choice grounder in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a two-run rally and hand FMU an exciting 2-1 win.
Beauvais led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jaramillo tied the score with an RBI double. Wolf then walked and Jessica Birchmeier loaded the bases with a single setting the stage for Heiser.
Jester (7-12) took the loss. She struck out two, walked five and gave up seven hits. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate in game two.
Cea Knox (14-5) earned the win for FMU. She struck out four and walked no one. Both Beauvais and Jaramillo were 2-for-4 in the second contest.
