CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Saint Francis softball team suffered its second tough loss in as many days when Towson rallied for two late runs to defeat the Red Flash 2-1 on Saturday morning at the UNC-Charlotte First Pitch Classic.
SFU then met the Tigers once again in the afternoon when Towson scored 10 times in the first three innings to defeat the Red Flash 10-1 in a five inning game.
Junior Hilary McNelis (Tyrone, PA /Tyrone) (Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone) had an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning to give SFU an early 1-0 lead in the first contest of the day. Junior pitcher Jerrica Smith (Breezewood, PA /Everett) (Breezewood, Pa. / Everett) made that lead hold for five-plus innings, but the Tigers scored one in the sixth and then one more in the top of the seventh to hand the Red Flash their second last at-bat loss in as many days. Saint Francis suffered a 7-4 loss on a walk-off, three-run home run against Seton Hall on Friday.
Smith pitched well in a seven inning complete game, giving up just two runs on seven hits. She struck out one and walked three. She had a one-hit shutout going into the sixth inning.
Senior Janelle McCoy (New Paris, PA /Chestnut Ridge) (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) continued her torrid pace at the plate through the first three games of the season. She went 2-for-3 in the first game, and was hitting .750 (6-for-8) with a double, homer and four RBI through three games. Junior Kelly Cortese (Coatesville, PA/Bishop Shanahan) (Coatesville, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) and senior Nicole Waligora (Johnstown, PA /Westmont Hilltop) (Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop) each had singles, and McNelis had her RBI double in the first inning to account for Saint Francis' five hits. Senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, PA /Pine Richland) (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) walked and scored SFU's only run.
Freshmen Katie McMellen (Kingsville, Ohio / Edgewood) and Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif. / Rodriquez), and Waligora accounted for Saint Francis' three hits in the second game. Waligora plated McMellen with a single in the fourth inning, but the Tigers had already staked a 10-0 lead before the Red Flash could get a run across.
