Greenville, S.C. – The Furman softball team began its 2022 season on Friday picking up a pair of victories over the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks on day one of the Paladin Invitational from Pepsi Stadium.
Furman (2-0) started tournament play with a 3-0 win over North Dakota before rallying from 10 runs down to defeat Maryland Eastern Shore 13-10.
Game 1 – North Dakota 0, Furman 3
Sierra Tufts (1-0), a preseason second team All-SoCon selection, tossed a complete game shutout to lead the Paladins after surrendering just six hits, two walks and seven strikeouts.
Preseason second team All-SoCon picks
Ashlee Lykins and
Natalie Morgan both had a hit and RBI for Furman while
Emily Bartlett, a preseason first team All-SoCon honoree, and
Chrissy Fleming each tallied one hit.
Alexys Campos led the Fighting Hawks with three hits and Jocelyn Kirk provided two. Lauren Feld took the loss allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits, two walks and three strikeouts in four innings of work.
The Paladins scored all three of their runs in the first two innings, plating one in the first and two in the second. Morgan recorded an RBI single to put Furman ahead 1-0 in the first and Lykins reached on an RBI infield single in the second.
Chloe Fabio came across for the first run in the second inning when Fleming reached on a single and both runners advanced on a throwing error.
The shutout victory was the first by the Paladins to start a season since a 7-0 win over Gardner-Webb on February 15, 2003 in Greenville.
Game 2 – UMES 10, Furman 13
Furman scored 13 runs over two innings and overcame a 10-run deficit to pick up the victory over Maryland Eastern Shore.
Bailey Tanner (1-0) earned the win in relief tossing three innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, three walks and one strikeout. Freshman
Isabella Cear (1), making her collegiate debut, picked up the save in two scoreless innings and had one strikeout.
Alex Rose Molinar went 2-for-2 with three RBI, two walks and three runs scored, and was one of three Paladins to compile two hits. Fleming and
Riley Ludlam registered two hits and one RBI. Lykins and
Hana Hashioka posted one RBI.
Tatum Kresley led the Hawks going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Ah-nayia Oglesby also homered. Nasya Goodman picked up the loss throwing 1.1 innings of relief and gave up three runs (none earned) on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.
Maryland Eastern Shore jumped out to a 10-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth after scoring three in the first, one in the third and six in the fourth.
Furman cut its deficit down to 10-3 in the bottom of the fourth on RBIs from Fleming, Lykins and Ludlam. The Paladins then plated 10 runs in their half of fifth including eight with two outs. Furman scored three times on a fielding error while Molinar had three RBI in the inning on a double and single.
Up Next
The Paladins continue play at the Paladin Invitational on Saturday evening when they host Tarleton State at 7 p.m.
