Greenville, S.C. – Furman claimed a 3-2 victory over South Dakota to earn a split on the opening day of the Paladin Softball Classic Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium. Akron edged the Paladins, 6-5, in extra innings in Furman's first game of the weekend after the Zips fell to the Coyotes, 3-1, in the tournament opener.
 
Akron 6, Furman 5 (8 Inn.)
 
Furman rallied from a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings, but the Akron Zips pulled out a 6-5 victory in eight innings on Saturday afternoon in the Paladins' first game of the weekend.
 
Akron's Sophia Wygast belted a three-run homer in the top of the third inning and added a solo shot in the fifth to extend the Zips' advantage to 5-0 against Paladin starter Sierra Tufts. After Furman started the bottom of the fifth with three consecutive singles, Sylvia Burroughs chased home a run with a sacrifice fly and Kiley Perry trimmed the margin to 5-2 with an RBI single. Akron reliever Macy Walters retired Hannah Poole and Lauralee Scott with runners on to keep the Zips in front.
 
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Ainsley Yoshizumi began the inning for Furman with a single to right field and Ashlee Lykins followed with a single to center field. Burroughs lined a single to right-center to bat in her second run of the game. After reliever Haley Croyle hit Perry to load the bases and fanned Poole, pinch hitter Caitlin Goldwait line a two-run single to right-center to even the game at 5-5. Croyle, however, retired the next two batters to force extra innings.
 
Delaney Jenkinson reached on a leadoff single for Akron in the top of the eighth and later scored on Lily Sullivans infield grounder. Chloe Fabio started the bottom of the eighth with a single for the Paladins, who eventually loaded the bases following a two-out walk from Burroughs and an infield single from Perry before Croyle induced a grounder back to the circle to end the game.
 
Croyle scattered three hits over two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win while Furman's Angelina Ricciardi (0-2) took the loss after allowing one run on two hits over 3.2 innings of work.
 
Wygast went 2-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBIs for the victors. Yoshizumi, Lykins, Burroughs, Perry, and Fabio each collected a pair of base hits as the Paladins registered 12 safeties.
 
Furman 3, South Dakota 2
 
In the nightcap, Taylor Miller and Scott combined to hold South Dakota to just two runs on four hits over seven innings to help the Paladins up the record to 10-6 on the season with a 3-2 decision.
 
South Dakota to a 1-0 lead in the third inning on a squeeze but before Furman responded with two in the bottom of the frame. Alex Rose Molinar reached base on a leadoff single and scored on Yoshizumi's two-out double into the gap. Following a single by Lykins that put runners on the corners, Yoshizumi sprinted home on a double steal to give the Paladins a 2-1 lead.
 
The Coyotes used three singles in the fourth inning to knot the contest at 2-2, but Furman answered with the deciding run in the bottom half of the fifth. Lykins reached base on a two-out bunt single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Burroughs laced a grounder to third base that was picked cleanly but the throw to first sailed wide allowing Lykins to cross the plate with the eventual winning run.
 
Scott, who entered the game in the top of the fifth, retired all nine batters she faced to improve to 3-0 in the circle. Miller surrendered two runs on four hits in four innings of work as the Paladins' starter.
 
Lykins and Molinar each went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Paladins.
 
Madi Mangulis (1-1) took the loss after allowing an unearned run on three hits in two innings of relief for the Coyotes.
 
The tournament continues Sunday with Akron and South Dakota doing battle at 10 a.m. before Furman faces the Coyotes at 12:30 p.m. Sunday's slate concludes with the Paladins and the Zips squaring off at 3 p.m. Live statistics will be available for all three games Sunday via StatBroadcast.com. Furman's games versus the Zips and Coyotes are slated to be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
PALADIN CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Saturday
South Dakota 3, Akron 1
Akron 6, Furman 5 (8 Inn.)
Furman 3, South Dakota 2
Sunday
10:00 – South Dakota vs. Akron* (Live Stats)
12:30 – South Dakota at Furman* ESPN+ (Live Stats)
3:00 – Akron at Furman* ESPN+ (Live Stats)
 
* – designated home team