CATONSVILLE, Md. (Mar. 20, 2008) – Dana Shepard's two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning handed the Saint Francis softball team a disappointing 3-2 loss against tournament-host UMBC in its second game of the sixth annual UMBC Spring Classic.
The Red Flash lost a 13-3, six inning game against Niagara earlier in the day. They will return to the field with a contest against Mount St. Mary's at 9:30 a.m. on Friday morning. Following Pool Play, the teams will be re-seeded for championship bracket play. SFU will play another game at either 1:45 p.m. or 3:45 p.m.
The Red Flash led for much of the game, but a lead-off walk ultimately cost them in the seventh.
The Retrievers jumped on the board in the top of the first with an RBI single by Amanda Fefel. But Saint Francis bounced right back on an RBI single by junior Kara Stroup (Valencia, Pa. / Mars). Sophomore Stephanie Griffin (Dupont, Pa. / Pittston Area) made it 2-1 Saint Francis with an RBI bunt single in the third inning.
The game remained 2-1 until the top of the seventh when Lauren Brummel drew a lead-off walk. After a flyout to left field, Shepard drove her game-winner over the left-center field fence to give the Retrievers a 3-2 edge.
Saint Francis wouldn't go down quiet as it had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but UMBC's Stephanie Weigman got a force out at home plate and a strikeout to end the game.
Red Flash junior Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) made just one mistake in the game on the two-run homer. She struck out seven, walked three and scattered four hits in a strong showing.
Niagara 13, Saint Francis 3 (6 innings)
The Purple Eagles hit six home runs and scored in every inning before the mercy rule took effect in the sixth inning of a 13-3 victory over the Red Flash.
Felicia Coffey led off the game with a home run and hit two along with teammate Maggie McDonald.
Saint Francis was paced by junior Nicole Waligora (Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop) with a single, double and run scored in two at-bats. Sophomore Kelly Cortese (Coatesville, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) also had two hits in the game.
Niagara (7-9) hit two home runs on its way to scoring three runs in the top of the first. The Red Flash answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a home run by Stroup and then an RBI single by Waligora.
But Saint Francis' offense couldn't keep up as the Purple Eagles scored one run in the second, two runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings and then three more in the sixth inning.
Trailing 6-2, the Saint Francis half of the third inning ended on a bizarre play when McNelis popped up to the third baseman with runners on first and second with one out. Niagara's third baseman bobbled the ball, but made the catch as Stroup took off for third base. The infield fly rule was in effect and Stroup was called out for leaving second base before the ball was caught, resulting in a double play to end the inning.
After the Purple Eagles made it 8-2 in the fourth inning, the Red Flash scored a run on an RBI single by senior Nicole Bender (Patton, Pa. / Cambria Heights) to make it 8-3. But that is all SFU could muster against Niagara.
