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Furman 3, George Mason 0 — Friday, Feb. 27
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Under the Friday evening lights at Pepsi Stadium, Furman delivered a statement performance in the opening game of the Paladin Invitational, blanking George Mason 3–0 behind clutch hitting and one of the best pitching efforts of the season. After a leadoff double by Patriot senior Logan Pickford threatened early, Furman answered emphatically in the bottom of the first inning when Eden Frederick drilled an RBI double to right field to bring home the game’s first run and send a surge through the Furman dugout.
For a while, that lone run was all Furman needed, as freshmen pitcher Kristyn Embler began to settle in like a veteran, mixing speeds and hitting spots with surgical precision. In the fourth inning, Furman expanded its lead when Sylvia Burroughs singled and setup Rachel Hawkins’ two‑run home run over the left‑field wall, a blast that electrified the crowd and gave the Paladins breathing room. Embler kept the Patriots off the board the rest of the way, striking out batters in key moments and limiting George Mason to just two hits while notching her first career complete‑game shutout. The Patriots were never able to challenge beyond stranded runners on the corners late, and Furman marched off the field with a confident 3‑0 victory at the Invitational opener.
📊 Stat Lines — Furman vs George Mason
- Final: Furman 3, George Mason 0
- Furman Hits: 8, Errors: 1
- Embler (W): CG, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER — two‑hit shutout
- Key Offense: Frederick 2B (RBI), Hawkins HR (2 RBI), Burroughs 2 hits
Seton Hall 6, Furman 3 — Saturday, Feb. 28
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Saturday’s first game was a back‑and‑forth affair until Seton Hall’s offense seized control early and held firm for a 6‑3 victory over Furman. The Pirates jumped ahead in the first two innings, taking advantage of a pair of misplayed balls in right field by Furman defenders and mounting pressure at the plate. That pressure became production when Naya Martinez ripped a two‑out, two‑run triple down the right‑field line in the first, immediately putting Seton Hall ahead. Seton Hall’s attack didn’t let up: Martinez later added a solo home run in the third, extending the lead and setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Furman battled back in the sixth inning, with Kate Stoltzfus driving a two‑run single into right field — cutting the deficit and igniting the home crowd — but the Paladins couldn’t sustain the rally. Seton Hall’s bullpen stifled the comeback in the seventh, closing out the win. Martinez finished with a 2‑for‑3 day that included a triple, home run and three RBIs, while Sylvia Burroughs led the Paladins at the plate with a 2‑for‑4 performance. Furman starter Jamison Noonan pitched all seven innings and took the loss, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
📊 Stat Lines — Seton Hall vs Furman
- Final: Seton Hall 6, Furman 3
- Seton Hall: Martinez 2‑for‑3, 3 RBI (Triple, HR), Christina Ginex 2 Runs
- Furman: Burroughs 2‑for‑4, Stoltzfus 1 RBI
- Pitching: Noonan (L) 7 IP, 7 H, 6 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 2 K
West Georgia 6, Furman 4 — Saturday, Feb. 28
GREENVILLE, S.C. — In the second tilt of Saturday’s doubleheader, Furman and West Georgia produced a dramatic, see‑saw battle that was tied 2‑2 entering the seventh inning before the Wolves broke it open and held off a late Paladin charge for a 6‑4 win. The scoring began in the third inning when AB Cipalla doubled to left center, driving in Kate Stoltzfus and giving Furman a 1–0 edge. The Paladins added another in the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Burroughs that brought home Eden Frederick, making it 2–1 and energizing the home crowd. However, West Georgia answered back with runs in the sixth — tied the score at 2–2 on a sac fly by Madison McDonald — and then exploded in the seventh, using a combination of timely hits and defensive miscues to plate four unanswered runs and take control.
Not to be denied, Furman charged right back in the bottom of the seventh — Frederick and Stoltzfus delivered back‑to‑back singles, and after Cipalla was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Embler lined a clutch two‑run single to left that cut the margin to 6–4 and sent the bleachers into a frenzy. But after an unfortunate double play ended the rally, West Georgia held on for the two‑run victory. Furman finished with 10 hits; Stoltzfus was a standout with a 3‑for‑3 performance while both Frederick and Cipalla added multi‑hit days. Starter Lily O’Bryan took the loss, surrendering six runs (three earned) on seven hits.
📊 Stat Lines — West Georgia vs Furman
- Final: West Georgia 6, Furman 4
- Furman Hits: 10, Errors: 1
- Stoltzfus: 3‑for‑3, multiple runs
- Cipalla: 2 hits, 1 RBI; Embler 2 RBI
- Pitching: O’Bryan (L) 7 IP, 7 H, 6 R (3 ER)
Winthrop 5, Furman 0 — Sunday, Mar. 1
GREENVILLE, S.C. — On the final day of the invitational, Winthrop’s balanced offense and steady pitching kept Furman scoreless in a 5–0 decision that closed out the weekend for the Paladins. Winthrop struck first in the opening inning, and never relinquished control: early pressure turned into runs when the Eagles manufactured offense through a series of well‑timed hits and aggressive base running. In the second inning, they added to their cushion with an RBI knock that extended the lead, and in the fifth inning, Peyton Bryden’s two‑run home run provided the big blow that pushed Winthrop’s advantage comfortably ahead. Winthrop tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh inning with a pair of RBI singles that kept Furman at bay.
On the mound, Winthrop’s Emmy Cardenas delivered a complete‑game shutout, scattering six hits and keeping the Paladins off the scoreboard while recording key strikeouts in high‑leverage situations. Furman’s offense managed 6 total hits but could not convert those into runs, consistently leaving runners stranded and unable to capitalize against the Eagles’ pitching.
📊 Stat Lines — Winthrop vs Furman
- Final: Winthrop 5, Furman 0
- Winthrop: 10 H, balanced attack with RBI from several hitters
- Furman: 6 H, runners left on base
- Pitching: Cardenas (W) CG, 6 H, 0 R — complete‑game shutout
Weekend Narrative & What It Means Moving Forward
From the opening night thrill of a 3‑0 shutout to the late‑inning drama and narrow losses over the weekend, Furman’s performance at the Paladin Invitational was a mix of grit, growth, and undeniable potential. The Paladins displayed offensive sparks — including power from Hawkins and clutch hitting from Frederick, Burroughs, Stoltzfus, Cipalla, and Embler — while Embler’s standout outing Friday sets a tone for the season. The pitching staff battled through long innings, and although there were moments on Saturday and Sunday where late rallies slipped away, Furman showed resilience in every game. With multiple multi‑hit performances, significant scoring innings, and competitive pitching, the Paladins are building toward consistency as they head deeper into the spring schedule.
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