CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Saint Francis softball team was in position to notch a season-opening win, but Seton Hall rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand the Red Flash a gut-wrenching 7-4 defeat on Friday, during the first game of the UNC-Charlotte First Pitch Classic.
The host 49ers pounded out 21 hits in the second game of the day to defeat SFU, 20-7.
Senior Janelle McCoy (New Paris, PA /Chestnut Ridge) (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) paced the Saint Francis offensive attack with a 4-for-5 day at the plate. She had a double, a home run and four RBI. Freshman Cassie Emerson (Lincoln, Calif. / Lincoln) hit safely in both games in going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and RBI and three walks.
Senior Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, PA /Bellefonte) (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) started the first game against the Pirates, and breezed through six innings of work. She was the beneficiary of a three-run sixth inning that put Saint Francis up 4-2 heading into the seventh, and final inning.
Seton Hall scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning off a two-out walk and a then a triple. However, the Red Flash answered right back in the next half inning to tie it up at 1-1. Emerson recorded her first career hit with a single, and was then moved to second base on a ground out. Junior Christina Aulbach (York, PA /Dallastown Area) (York, Pa. / Dallastown Area) then stroked an RBI single.
The Pirates again took a one-run lead, 2-1, with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the SFU offense put together a three-run rally in the top of the sixth. Freshman Katie McMellen (Kingsville, Ohio / Edgewood) led off the inning with her first career hit, a single up the middle, and then stole second base. Senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, PA /Pine Richland) (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) drove her in with a double to right-center field to tie the game at 2-2. After a single by senior Hilary McNelis (Tyrone, PA /Tyrone) (Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone) moved Slingwine to third base, Emerson stroked an RBI single to give the Red Flash their first lead, 3-2. Freshman Courtney Francis (Jefferson, Ohio / Jefferson Area), pinch running for McNelis, moved to third on Emerson's single, and eventually stoke home to put SFU up 4-2.
However, the Pirates rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal the victory.
Caldwell gave up seven runs on eight hits, walked six and struck out five batters in 6.2 innings. McCoy was 3-for-3 with a double in the game, and Emerson was 2-for-3.
Junior Jerrica Smith (Breezewood, PA /Everett) (Breezewood, Pa. / Everett) struggled in her first start of the season against UNC-Charlotte.
Junior Ashley Bellmont (Morrisville, PA/Notre Dame (N.J.) ) (Morrisville, Pa. / Notre Dame) hit a sacrifice fly to plate Emerson, who walked, in the first inning against the 49ers. But UNC-Charlotte batted around in scoring 10 runs in the second inning to take a 10-1 lead. The Red Flash were able to cut that lead to 11-7 with a six-run third inning, but the 49ers scored nine more runs in the fifth inning to put the mercy rule in effect. Saint Francis' six-run third inning was highlighted by a grand slam from McCoy to make it 11-7.
The Red Flash will return to action with a 10:30 a.m. game against Towson State, on Saturday morning.
