LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis softball team had its share of chances, but couldn't capitalize in dropping a pair of 3-2 heartbreakers against in-state Northeast Conference rival, Robert Morris, on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Flash scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 1 to pull within one run. However, they stranded the tying run at second base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning, freshman Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif. / Valencia) stroked a two-run single to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame. But the Colonials manufactured a run in the top of the seventh inning to steal another 3-2 victory.
Senior Janelle McCoy (New Paris, PA /Chestnut Ridge) (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) led the offense with three hits, including a double, and a sacrifice bunt in five plate appearances. Senior pitcher Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, PA /Bellefonte) (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) suffered the hard-luck losses in both games. She surrendered five earned runs on 15 hits, struck out seven and walked just one in 14.0 innings of work.
In Game 1, Sarah Capp led off the third inning with a triple for RMU. After a hit-by-pitch and double steal made it 1-0, Kayla Crooks scored on a fielder's choice.
Another leadoff extra base hit came back to haunt Saint Francis in the sixth inning. Susan Perich started the rally with a double, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Kristin McDaniel to make it 3-0.
However, the Red Flash weren't going to go quietly. Senior Kara Stroup (Valencia, PA /Mars) (Valencia, Pa. / Mars) singled through the left side with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, and advanced to second when the ball got past the outfielder. Sophomore Michelle Spisak (McKees Rocks, Pa/Sto-Rox) (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Sto-Rox) pinch ran and moved to third base on a groundout before scoring on an RBI double by junior Jamie Dixon (Revloc, PA /Central Cambria ) (Revloc, Pa. / Central Cambria). Smith made it a 3-2 game with an RBI single.
SFU had runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh inning, but couldn't bring the tying run across.
Junior Christina Aulbach (York, PA /Dallastown Area) (York, Pa. / Dallastown Area) was 2-for-3 in the game, and Caldwell struck out four and walked one in giving up three runs on six hits in 7.0 innings.
In Game 2, the Colonials scored one run in the second inning and another in the top of the sixth to take a 2-0 lead. But the Red Flash again bounced back to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Stroup and Dixon slapped two-out singles, and moved up on a wild pitch. Smith stroked a single down the left field line to score both runners to tie it at 2-2.
Lauren Nisivoccia singled to start the seventh inning, and came around to score on a Susan Perich single later in the inning to put Robert Morris up 3-2. Saint Francis went quietly in the seventh inning.
McCoy was 2-for-3 in the game, and Caldwell gave up two earned runs on nine hits, and struck out three in 7.0 innings. Senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, PA /Pine Richland) (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) tied the school's all-time hits record with a single in the game. She now has 186 career hits, tying former teammate Nicole Bender (Patton, PA/Cambria Heights) for the school's career record.
The Red Flash will return to action with a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Youngstown State, on Thursday, at Red Flash Softball Field.
