CHARLOTTE, N.C.  (Feb. 19, 2011) – The Saint Francis softball team held leads in two games, but UNC-Greensboro rallied in both games to defeat the Red Flash at the UNC-Charlotte First Pitch Classic.

 

SFU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1, but the Spartans scored two runs in the fourth and one more in the sixth to hand SFU a 3-1 defeat. Saint Francis jumped out to a 5-2 edge in the second contest, but UNCG rallied for six runs in the sixth inning on its way to an 8-6 victory.

 

The Red Flash fell to 1-3 on the young season, and will play UNC-Charlotte at 11 a.m. Sunday.

 

“Today we played very well and just couldn't finish the game,” said Saint Francis head coach Sabrina Lane. “We had a bad inning where our pitches failed to find the umpire's strike zone and just couldn't find the outs when we needed them. Overall I think our performance is very promising.”

 

Sophomore Karlie Miller doubled to right-center field in the first inning of Game 1, and came around to score on junior Kaitlin Andler's two-out single to make it 1-0.

 

The Spartans answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Alex Emeterio led off with a single, and Kaitlin Merkt followed with a triple to bring her home. One out later, Katelyn Bedwell singled to knock in Merkt with the go-ahead run.

 

UNCG added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, with Jordan Jewett hitting an RBI single to bring in Merkt, who doubled to lead off the inning.

 

Andler was 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI, while freshman Jasa Mitchell had a pair of singles in two at-bats. Senior Michelle Spisak (McKees Rocks, Pa/Sto-Rox) suffered the loss in giving up two runs on six hits in 3.1 innings.

 

After the Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2, the Red Flash struck for three runs in the third to take the lead. SFU took advantage of a walk, a wild pitch and two errors in the inning.

 

Saint Francis made it 4-1 on an RBI single by junior Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif./Valencia) in the fourth inning. However, UNCG got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Merkt.

 

Junior Katie McMellen (Kingsville, OH /Edgewood) hit a one-out single and came around to score on Miller's double down the left field line to make it 5-2, SFU.

 

However, the Spartans rallied for six runs in the inning before recording an out to reclaim the lead. Heather Robb hit an RBI triple to bring in the first run, and pinch-hitter Katie Stripling hit an RBI double to pull UNCG within a run. A Kristen Gable single and an Aisha Figueroa walk loaded the bases for senior April Langley, who laced a bases clearing trip to make it 7-5. Emeterio followed with an RBI single to make it a six-run frame.

 

Sophomore Taylor Darneille hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot, to pull the Red Flash within 8-6 in the seventh inning. However, the Spartans thwarted the Saint Francis attack to pull out the win.

 

McMellen and Smith had two hits each for SFU, while McMellen also drew two free passes. Freshman Michele Andrews suffered the loss in giving up two runs in 1.0 inning of relief work.

 

For periodic softball updates and other Red Flash news, follow Director of Athletic Communications Bob Volkert on Twitter at SFUVolkert.