AKRON, Ohio  (Apr. 5, 2011) – The Saint Francis softball team traveled to Akron on a chilly Tuesday afternoon and came away with a pair of losses, 5-0 and then 7-6.

 

The Red Flash fell to 7-25 on the season with the losses, and will return to action at 1 p.m. on Saturday when they take on Fairleigh Dickinson.

 

SFU equaled the Zips with seven base hits in Game 1. However, Akron put five runs on the board against zero.

 

Alex Riedeman three a complete-game shutout, going the distance with six strikeouts and one walk. Both teams committed one error each.

 

Akron took the lead in the first inning when Olivia Hegedus hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Alex Feltes. The Zips followed it up with four more runs in the second, as Alex Helfrich started the scoring with an RBI groundout that brought home Cassie Gleisner. Katie Gross then provided the remainer of the runs with a three-run home run to left center.

 

Sophomore Brianna Garcia was 2-for-3 in the game, while five other players had one hit each for the Red Flash. Freshman Jasa Mitchell had a double.

 

Akron opened up Game 2 in the second when Hegedus hit a leadoff homer to left-center field. Sarah Earley then reached with a single and scored on a wild pitch to give UA a 2-0 advantage. Saint Francis answered in the third inning with a leadoff homer by Chelsy Cosentino to make it 2-1.

 

The Zips came right back and added another un in the bottom of the third inning as Alissa Birkhimer hit a solo shot to right field to give Akron a 3-1 lead. After a scoreless fourth inning for both teams, Saint Francis took the lead with a huge fifth, plating four runs on two homers that scored two runs each.

 

Sophomore Taylor Darneille and Mitchell provided the heroics to make it 5-3, SFU.

 

But the Zips had two on with two out in the bottom of the frame, and Birkhimer hit her second home run of the game to make it 6-5. The Red Flash tied it at 6-6 in the sixth inning, but Akron scored the game-winner in the bottom half of the inning. SFU was retired in order in the seventh as the Zips completed the sweep.

 

Darneille was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Cosentino scored two runs in the game.

 

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.