Howard Box Score
Stony Brook Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. (March 9, 2012) – For the fifth time in the young 2012 season, the Saint Francis University softball team split its two games played as they opened up tournament action at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational. SFU's five overall wins ranks as its best start in a decade when the Red Flash went 7-4 to begin the 2002 season.

In a tightly contested first game Friday afternoon, the Red Flash (5-6) squeaked by Howard (1-13) in eight innings 4-3, needing late heroics to do so.

SFU jumped out to a two-run lead thanks to a run scored in both the bottom of the second and bottom of the third. In the second, Hannah Francis (Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson Area) successfully reached base on a walk and was moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Davina Kachnovitz hit a seeing eye single to the right side and advanced to second on a throwing error on Howard's second baseman, which scored Francis. Chelsea Rex singled in Kaitlin Andler (Evanston, Ill./Evanston) in the third to give the Flash a two-run cushion.

Howard would not go down quietly though as they tallied a run in the top of inning five and rallied to take the lead with two runs in the next frame. Down a run in the bottom of the sixth, Saint Francis would get even. Francis led off the inning by singling to right center and was moved over one bag on a sacrifice bunt by Brianna Garcia (Riverside, Calif./Arlington). After Kachnovitz reached on a fielder's choice, she was driven all the way around to tie the contest up on a two-bagger to left field by Taylor Parsons.

In the bottom of inning seven, the Red Flash loaded the bases with two out and a chance to win but were doomed by a fielder's choice play, ending the inning and sending the game into extra frames. After a scoreless top frame by the Bison, SFU loaded the bases once more, this time with no outs. Following a lineout to the pitcher, Kachnovitz scored the game winning run on a throwing error back to third by Howard's pitcher.

Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif./Rodriguez) (3-3) picked up the win after throwing the top of the eighth and striking out one batter. The bulk of the pitching was done by Rex who tossed 5.2 innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs. Rex had a strong day at the plate going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Parsons also had a strong day offensively, collecting three hits in five chances and driving in a run as well.

The Red Flash ran into a tough Stony Brook (7-3) squad in game two and dropped that contest by a 10-3 count. SFU showed some fight however, down 9-0 in the top of the fifth, the Flash put together three runs to extend the contest. Francis singled and advanced to second on a throwing error to lead off. Garcia picked up an RBI by driving in Francis with a double to right center. After Kachnovitz got on, Parsons doubled in the two-runners to give Saint Francis the rest of its three-run total.  Layne suffered the loss giving up seven earned runs in just two innings pitched. Andler and Garcia each recorded two hits in the loss.

Saint Francis concludes its Florida spring break trip tomorrow morning with back-to-back contests at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. against Georgetown and Colgate.