BELMONT, N.C. -- Payton Whitley homered and Katie Allison had a pair of hits, but Francis Marion swept a softball doubleheader from Belmont Abbey Saturday afternoon at Crusader Field. The Patriots won the opener 16-0 in five, then took the nightcap 8-1 in a game called after six innings due to darkness.

The Patriots improved to 6-0 on the season, while the contest marked the Crusaders' opening day.

THE OPENER

• Allison and Hailey Gass tallied The Abbey's only hits in the contest.
• Francis Marion opened the scoring with a run in the second before plating six in the third. The Patriots added three in the fourth and six in the fifth to end the contest.
• Allison broke up a no-hitter with a leadoff single in the fifth. After an error, Gass loaded the bases with a hit down the right-field line.
• Katelyn Ellard (3-0) picked up the complete-game win while Annabeth Watkins (0-1) took the loss for the Crusaders.

THE NIGHTCAP

• Belmont Abbey totalled four hits in the contest. Whitley homered in the fourth, while Allison had a pinch-hit single in fifth.
• Freshman Evann Shelnutt doubled to left-center in her first collegiate at-bat and classmate Mackenzie Sprinkle walked and singled in first collegiate appearance.
• Janecia Hemingway (2-0) threw all six innings for FMU with starter Jordanna Shorts (0-1) taking the loss for The Abbey.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey hosts Wingate in a doubleheader on Thursday.
• First pitch at Crusader Field is set for 1 p.m.