ORLANDO, Fla. – The Saint Francis softball team wrapped up a 13-game, spring break road trip with a pair of tough losses against Youngstown State and Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon.
Senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, PA /Pine Richland) (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) belted two home runs in the first game of the day against the Penguins, but YSU scored three runs in the third and three in the fourth to take a 7-3 victory away from the Red Flash.
Junior Jamie Dixon (Revloc, PA /Central Cambria ) (Revloc, Pa. / Central Cambria) had two hits against the Crusaders, but SFU fell 4-2 to wrap up its spring break trip with a 6-7 record.
The Red Flash will carry a 7-11 record into next weekend's Delaware State Capital Classic, which will be played in Dover, Del. Saint Francis is scheduled to open the tournament with a 9 a.m. non-conference contest against Central Connecticut State, on Saturday. The Flash will also play Drexel at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Youngstown State 7, Saint Francis 3
Four errors came back to haunt the Red Flash in the day's opening game against Youngstown State. The Penguins scored one run on an error in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead, and Slingwine's leadoff homer in the third inning tied the ballgame at 1-1.
However, YSU took advantage of another error to score three more runs in the bottom of the third. Allyse Ledford had the big blow with a two-run single to make it 4-1.
Freshman Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif. / Valencia) led off the top of the fourth with a double, and senior Janelle McCoy (New Paris, PA /Chestnut Ridge) (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) drove her in with an RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2.
But the Penguins again scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning to complete their scoring, and make it 7-2. Ledford had a two-run double to cap off the three-run inning.
Slingwine slugged her second long-ball of the day to pull within 7-3 in the seventh inning, but YSU got two more outs to secure the victory.
Junior Jerrica Smith (Breezewood, PA /Everett) (Breezewood, Pa. / Everett) suffered the loss in the game. She gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 2.2 innings. She struck out three and walked one.
Valparaiso 4, Saint Francis 2
Senior Kara Stroup (Valencia, PA /Mars) (Valencia, Pa. / Mars) staked the Red Flash to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against the Crusaders. Junior Stephanie Griffin (Dupont, PA /Pittston Area ) (Dupont, Pa. / Pittston Area) led off with a single, and went to second base on Dixon's single. Slingwine loaded the bases by reaching on a fielder's choice, and Stroup plated Griffin with a sacrifice fly.
Valpo took a 2-1 lead in the third inning by utilizing the team's speed on the base paths. The Crusaders had just one hit in the inning, but were able to put two runners across the plate. A walk and a single put runners on first and third with one out. A double steal plated the first runner, and another walk and double steal plated the second runner.
Junior Kelly Cortese (Coatesville, PA/Bishop Shanahan) (Coatesville, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) singled to leadoff the fifth inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by McCoy. Dixon eventually tied it up at 2-2 with an RBI single.
However, Valpo answered back in the next half inning on a two-run homer by Joylyn Ichiyama to make it 4-2.
Senior Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, PA /Bellefonte) (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) took the loss by giving up four runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings. She struck out five and walked four in the contest.
