Conway, S.C. – Sophomore Taylor Collins belted her first career home run, a 2-run shot in the fifth inning, to lift Furman to a 4-1 victory over the Bryant Bulldogs in the finale of the Chanticleer Challenge on Monday morning at Coastal Carolina Softball Stadium.

The victory improved the Paladins to 11-10 on the campaign while Bryant slid to 2-8.

With the game knotted at 1-1 in the fifth, pitcher Lauren Collier opened the frame with a single up the middle.  Natalie Clemmons' bunt put pinch runner Sarah Eidt in scoring position and Collins, a native of Statesboro, Ga., followed with a two-run blast to left field to give Furman a 3-1 advantage.

Taylor Jenkins followed singles by Hannah Pace and Sieara Bishop with an RBI double to the right field wall to up the Paladin lead to 4-1 in the top of the seventh inning.

Collier, who improved to 7-4 in the circle, picked up her second win in as many days by holding the Bulldogs to one run on four hits in a complete-game performance.  The Maineville, Ohio, product fanned six batters and issued three walks in the victory.

Furman grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Clemmons ripped a double to center field and scored on Bishop's triple into the right field corner.  Bryant pulled even in the bottom of the fourth on Aubrey Mable's sacrifice fly, but the Paladins threw out one runner at the plate and picked another off of third to end the inning without further damage.

Elle Madsen (2-4) took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing four runs on eight hits.  The right-hander struck out seven Paladins and allowed just one walk.

Bishop paced the Paladins at the plate going 3-for-4 with a triple.

Furman returns to action on Wednesday when they travel to Kennesaw State for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against the Owls.  The Paladins open Southern Conference play at home this weekend versus Samford.

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