Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 12, 2012) – In non-conference action Thursday afternoon, the Saint Francis University softball team split a doubleheader at Cleveland State, falling in game one 4-1 but outlasted the Vikings in eight innings in the nightcap 9-8 to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Cleveland State (11-29) got on the board first in game one thanks to a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the first inning.
The Red Flash (15-19) had a solid opportunity to cash in on a few runs when they loaded the bases with one out in the next half inning. Taylor Darneille (Fircrest, Wash./Wilson) led off with a single to center field and was moved up one base when Chelsea Rex singled to right field. Both runners then advanced one more bag on a wild pitch and senior Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif./Valencia) loaded the bases by drawing a walk. Unfortunately though a swinging strikeout and pop up in the infield ending the SFU threat.

Saint Francis did pick up a run though in their next at-bat in the top of the third when Davina Kachnovitz launched her third homerun of the season to left center to tie the contest at one. The deadlocked score was short lived however when the Vikings collected three runs on one hit in their half of the third to settle in for a three-run lead.

In the top of the seventh, the Flash looked primed for a chance to at least get even and keep the contest going when they put runners on first and second with no outs by way of back-to-back singles by Rex and Smith. Those two base runners could not be brought around to score though and the Vikings took game one with a 4-1 final score.

Rex took the loss and drops to 4-9 on the year after surrendering all four runs on five hits but did record a season-best seven strikeouts in the loss.

Offensive fireworks were on display in the second game of the twin bill as SFU picked up a close 9-8 decision in extra frames. In all between these two teams, 17 runs were scored and 27 hits spread out over the eight innings played.

The Red Flash came out of the gate swinging in the top of the first, going on top 3-0 off of four hits. Smith and Kachnovitz led off with two consecutive singles to start the top frame. An RBI single up the middle by Darneille plated Smith from second and moved Kachnovitz up one base. After Rex drew a one-out walk to load the bases, Kachnovitz tallied the second run on a fielder's choice. To top the opening frame off, an RBI double to the left center gap by Chelsy Cosentino (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area) scored Darneille and put SFU up by three.

Cleveland State got two runs back in the bottom of the second though on a single up the middle that plated both runs. The Vikings then took a 4-3 lead one full inning later with two more runs in their half of the third on two hits.

The lead was short lived however as the Flash came away with three more runs in the fourth with some help from the Cleveland State defense. With two runners on, who had reached on an error and a walk, and two outs, Darneille came through in the clutch with her third homerun of the season, a three-run blast over the right field fence.

After Saint Francis plated one run in the fifth and another in the sixth, the Flash had an 8-4 lead heading into CSU's final at-bat. The Viking offense came alive in that bottom frame of inning seven, collecting five hits and pounding out four runs to send the contest into extras.

With two outs in the top of the eighth, Karlie Miller (Wildomar, Calif./Temescal Canyon) notched her fourth hit of the game, a double to left center to keep the inning alive. The next batter, Cosentino, sent her third hit of the contest up the middle of the infield to score the runner from second and put the Flash up 9-8. SFU did what they had to defensively in the bottom half of the inning by recording three consecutive outs to claim their 15^th win of the season.

Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif./Rodriguez) earned her fifth pitching victory of her senior campaign after coming in for relief of starter Brooke Koch (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore). Layne threw the final two innings of work and gave up one run while striking out three. Koch was roughed up a bit in her outing, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in six innings pitched. The Red Flash offense though dug deep into CSU's bullpen, forcing the Vikings to use four pitchers in the second game.

Saint Francis takes the diamond again this Saturday to honor its four seniors when Mount St. Mary's comes to Loretto for a 1 p.m. conference doubleheader.