Pirates Eliminated From PBC Tournament

FLORENCE, S.C. - The Armstrong Atlantic State softball squad stayed alive at the 2009 PBC Softball Championships with a 9-5 win over Georgia Southwestern, but the Pirates saw their season come to an end with a 6-2 loss to host Francis Marion on Saturday in Florence, S.C.

The Pirates (27-23) took a 4-0 lead against the Hurricanes in Saturday's first game, thanks to sacrifice fly by Sam Floyd in the first inning, then an RBI single by Ashley Buckett and a two-run home run by Jessica Strong, all coming in the third inning.

Georgia Southwestern battled back to take the lead in the fifth inning with five runs against Floyd, who had relieved Britton Hammel-Cobb to begin the inning, but another home run from Strong, a bunt RBI single by Floyd and a bases-loaded walk by Casey Saunders put the Pirates back up, 7-5. AASU capped the scoring in the sixth on a two-run home run by Floyd.

Hammel-Cobb (5-6) picked up the win for the Pirates, hurling 6 2/3 innings of four-hit, shutout ball, striking out three.

In the second game, the Pirates took a brief 1-0 lead in the second inning on Ashley Bain's solo home run, the 11th of the season, but Francis Marion tied things up with a home run from Tamela Bell in the top of the fourth inning. The Patriots then broke the game open in the sixth with a pair of home runs - a solo shot by Michaela Wolf and a grand slam from Kayla Reude, ending AASU's season.

Emily Headrick (10-8) took the loss in game two for the Pirates, giving up five hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched, walking three and striking out three.

Strong led the Pirates at the plate on the day, and in the tournament - she went 2-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI with a pair of home runs and finished the weekend hitting .455 with three home runs and nine RBI to earn All-Tournament honors.