NEW BRITAIN, Conn.  (Mar. 27, 2011) – The Saint Francis softball team lost a late lead in Game 1 and fell short of a comeback in Game 2 as Central Connecticut State handed the Red Flash a doubleheader sweep on Sunday afternoon.

 

The Blue Devils rallied from a 5-2 deficit, scoring two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take the first contest, 6-5. CCSU jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Game 2 and held off a furious SFU comeback to win 5-4.

 

Saint Francis dropped three of four games on the weekend by one run with the fourth loss by two runs. The Red Flash fell to 7-23 overall by dropping their first four Northeast Conference games of the season. They will return to action when they play their first home games of the year in a doubleheader against Long Island at 1 p.m. next Saturday.

 

CCSU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1 before the Red Flash responded in the next half inning on an RBI single by freshman Ashley Thomas. Junior Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif./Valencia) led off the inning with a single and scored on Thomas' hit to tie it 1-1.

 

The Blue Devils took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the second inning, but Saint Francis rallied for three runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead. With the bases loaded, sophomore Heather Stiglich had a two-run single that led to the bases clearing after a CCSU error.

 

SFU took advantage of another error in the fifth inning when Smith reached on another Blue Devils' mistake. She eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Thomas to make it 5-2, Saint Francis.

 

However, Central Connecticut State got a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, and then scored two more runs in the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.

 

The Red Flash were retired in order in the seventh inning.

 

Thomas and Stiglich had two hits each for SFU, while Smith scored two runs. Junior Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif./Rodriguez) suffered the loss.

 

The Blue Devils scored one run in the first, one more in the third and three in the fifth to build a 5-0 lead in Game 2. But Saint Francis wouldn't go down without a fight as it rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to pull within a single tallying of tying it up.

 

Junior Courtney Francis (Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson Area) delivered a two-run single, and scored on a CCSU error, and sophomore Karlie Miller eventually stole home to make it 5-4. However, the Red Flash were retired in order in the seventh as the Blue Devils secured the sweep.

 

Thomas was 3-for-3 in the game, while freshman Jasa Mitchell was 2-for-3 to collect five of Saint Francis' seven hits. Senior Michelle Spisak (McKees Rocks, Pa/Sto-Rox) suffered the loss on the mound.

 

For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Saint Francis softball, follow Director of Athletic Communications Bob Volkert on Twitter (@SFUVolkert) and check www.SFUathletics.com. The Red Flash are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SFUAthletics.