LEWISBURG, Pa.  (Apr. 14, 2011) – Junior Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif./Rodriguez) tossed her second straight strong outing to help lead the Saint Francis softball team to a 1-0 victory in Game 1 of a non-conference battle at Bucknell on Thursday afternoon.

 

After falling behind 5-0 in Game 2, the Red Flash fell short of a comeback in a 6-5 loss versus the Bison.

 

SFU moved its record to 9-29 on the season, and will resume play at Noon on Sunday when it visits Mount St. Mary's for a Northeast Conference twinbill. Saturday's scheduled doubleheader versus Sacred Heart has been postponed until Monday at 1 p.m. due to the threat of rain.

 

In Game 1, Layne surrendered just two hits while striking out three and walking three in a complete game shutout. She carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning when Lauren Fry broke it up with a one-out triple. Layne got a pair of groundouts to end the threat.

 

Saint Francis scored the game's only run in the next half inning when Chelsy Cosentino, Katie McMellen (Kingsville, OH /Edgewood) and Brianna Garcia hit three straight one-out singles to make it 1-0.

 

Layne gave up a leadoff double in the seventh inning, but got a pair of flyouts, and the base-runner picked off attempting to advance to third base, to end the game.

 

McMellen was 3-for-4 and Taylor Darneille was 2-for-3 for the Red Flash.

 

Bucknell jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first three innings of Game 2 before Saint Francis mounted a comeback attempt.

 

Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif./Valencia) led off the fourth inning with a single, while Ashley Thomas and Courtney Francis (Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson Area) worked walks to load the bases. Cosentino again came through as she bashed her first career grand slam to pull the Red Flash within 5-4. It was Cosentino's second home run of the year.

 

Bucknell took a 6-4 lead with one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, and SFU again answered. McMellen had an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning to make it 6-5. However, the Red Flash surrendered the tying run at second base in the top of the seventh.

 

Smith was 2-for-4 in the game, while Francis singled and walked on her way to scoring two runs.

 

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.