FLORENCE, S.C. – Flagler College and Francis Marion University split a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at the FMU Softball Stadium. The Patriots won the opener 7-1 and the Saints hung on to win game two, 6-5.

Flagler is now 19-16 overall and 6-4 in the Peach Belt. Francis Marion ends the day with a 16-18 overall record and is 2-8 in conference play.

In the second game, Flagler scored all the runs it needed in the fifth inning. The Saints plated six runs on four hits and sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.

Natalie Murphy got things started with a single to right-center that scored Tatum Morgan from second base to tie the game at 1-all. A single and a walk loaded the bases for Maria Kappos. She hit a two-run single to center and two batters later, Rachel Hudson came up as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded and she drew a walk. A sacrifice fly followed by an RBI single by Genevieve Mangini capped the scoring.

The Saints would need every run from that inning as the Patriots rallied in the bottom of the seventh. A two-out, two-run single by Jennie Polak followed by a pinch-hit two-run double by Reece Davis cut Flagler's lead to 6-5. But Katlyn McCue (11-8) was able to retire the last batter and strand the tying run at second base.

McCue scattered 10 hits and allowed five runs in her complete game victory. She walked six and fanned four. She retired 11 batters on fly outs and another five on ground outs.

Kappos hit a single, drove in two runs and scored a run. Garland Evans, Mangini and Natalie Murphy each hit a single and had one run batted in.

Sydney Holland (10-11) was tagged with the loss as she pitched to six batters in the fifth inning and could not record an out. She allowed three hits and five runs to go along with three walks and a wild pitch. Samantha Wroblewski pitched the rest of the game and scattered three hits and allowed one run. She walked six and struck out five batters.

Polak collected two singles, drove in two runs and scored another for the Patriots. Shania Domingue finished with two singles and scored a run.

In the opener, the Patriots rallied to score all seven runs in the sixth inning to come away with the win.

Flagler got on the board first when Morgan Murphy's single scored Tatum Morgan, who had doubled earlier, from second base.

But Francis Marion would send 11 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the sixth with three hits, one error and four walks.

Jessica Harney's single up the middle scored Jaimie Harney, who had doubled before her, to tie the game. A walk and a fielding error by Tatum Morgan at third base loaded the bases. Three consecutive bases loaded walks allowed the Patriots to take a 4-1 lead. Taylor DeLeon hit a two-run double after the third walk.

Holland scattered five hits and allowed one run over seven innings of work to earn the win. She struck out nine and walked three.

Ally Marcano (8-8) took the loss in the circle for the Saints. She tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowed five hits and five earned runs. Marcano walked five and struck out three. McCue pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief.

Tatum Morgan went 2-for-2 with a double and she scored the lone run.

Flagler remains on the road and will visit the University of Mount Olive on Tuesday (March 27) at 2 p.m.