While the Furman basketball teams prepare for the Southern Conference in Asheville, N.C., other sports take the spotlight.

Furman concluded its Paladins Softball Classic with a pair of excruciating losses, 3-2 to South Dakota and 4-3 to Akron.

A comeback fell short against the Coyotes, whom the Paladins trailed, 3-1, after Rylie Jones’ infield single in the top of the seventh inning.

Chloe Fabio opened the Paladins’ final at-bat with a single, and Ashlee Lykins reached on an error. Sylvia Burroughs’ walk loaded the bases.

South Dakota’s McKenna Young came to the circle and put away Furman by striking out Kiley Perry, but Ansley Chiang singled to left to drive in Fabio. Starter Clara Edwards reentered and retired pinch-hitter Caitlin Goldwait to end the game.

Edwards (4-5) held Furman to two runs on nine hits over 6-2/3 innings while striking out eight batters and issuing one walk.

Sierra Tufts (5-2) absorbed the loss. The righthander allowed two runs on five hits over 5-1/3 innings. Chiang went 3/4 to pace the Furman offense, and Lykins and Fabio added two hits apiece.

Akron (5-8) took a 4-1 lead, and again, a Furman (10-8) rally fell short.

After the Zips tacked on an unearned run in the top of the seventh, the Paladins, who has already left the bases loaded twice, mounted another threat in their last at-bat.

Hana Hashioka began the inning with a pinch-hit double and crossed the plate on Fabio’s one-out single to center field. Ainsley Yoshizumi singled to move Fabio into scoring position and the senior scampered home on Lykins’ single up the middle. With two on and two out, Akron reliever Cailey Joyce got Burroughs to foul out to the first baseman and Perry to pop out to second base to end the game.

Joyce, who allowed two runs on five hits over 1-1/3 innings, earned her first save of the season. Akron starter Haley Croyle (2-5) picked up the victory after holding Furman to one run on six hits over 5-2/3 innings.

Sophia Wygast and Meagan Lee each went 2/4 at the plate for the Zips.

 Paladin starter Taylor Miller took the loss. The freshman surrendered two earned runs on four hits over 3-1/3 innings before Lauralee Scott came on to limit the Zips to just an unearned run over the final 3-2/3.

Lykins and Perry each collected three hits for Furman while Burroughs worked three walks. The Paladins left a season-high 16 runners on base and stranded a combined 28 runners over their two one-run losses on Sunday.

 Furman returns to action on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. first pitch versus North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Furman co-hosts The Show at Spanish Trail in spite of the women’s golf tournament being played at 6,537-yard Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas, Nev.

The other co-host, Nevada Las Vegas, makes more sense.

The Paladins and Runnin’ Rebels will be joined in the 13-team field by No. 31 Houston, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, 23rd-ranked Pepperdine, No. 27 Purdue, 29th-ranked SMU, TCU, No. 39 Tulsa, third-ranked UCLA and No. 24 Virginia.

Furman’s lineup for the tournament includes senior Anna Morgan, junior Alise Knudson, freshman Audrey Ryu, freshman Kelsi Mauzy and sophomore Liza Lapeyre.  Senior Caroline Crumrine will compete as an individual.  

The 54-hole tournament commences at 11 a.m. EST, the same time of the shotgun start on Tuesday.  Furman is grouped with Purdue and Tulsa for the first two rounds.

Furman, led by Morgan, who holds a 68.6 stroke average over 18 rounds of play this season, won a share of the team title at the Lady Paladin Invitational in September.  Morgan has recorded five top-5 finishes in six events, including victories at the Lady Paladin Invitational, Landfall Tradition, and Lady Puerto Rico Classic.  Morgan’s victory at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic was the seventh win of her Furman career, extending her school record for individual wins.

The locale is less glamorous for the Furman men, who open Monday at the USC Aiken-hosted Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate at 6,617-yard Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken.

The 54-hole tournament begins Monday at 8:30 a.m. Teams play 36 holes on Monday, then conclude the tournament with 18 holes on Tuesday. The Paladins are paired with Army and Davidson on Monday.

Furman will be joined in the 15-team field by host USC Aiken, Army, Boise State, Dartmouth, Davidson, East Carolina, Francis Marion, Gardner-Webb, Maryland, Mercer, Presbyterian, Samford, Temple and Virginia Tech.  

The Paladin lineup for the Palmetto Intercollegiate consists of junior Will Morlan, senior Ross Funderburke, sophomore Harris Barth, junior Trey Diehl and senior Demi Di Matteo.

 Furman concluded the fall season with a one-stroke victory at the 53rd Furman Intercollegiate in October.

The Paladins tied for fourth at the Gator Invitational to open the spring.  Morlan fired a final-round 69 to tie for 13th to pace Furman.

I could stand some assistance for the impending Asheville trip.

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