Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

AKRON, Ohio (April 25, 2012) – For its final set of non-conference games of the season, the Saint Francis University softball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Akron, 4-3 in eight innings in the opener and 4-0 in game two.

In game one the Red Flash (21-23) collected four consecutive singles in the top of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. SFU got RBI base knocks from Karlie Miller (Wildomar, Calif./Temescal Canyon) and Chelsea Rex in the inning. The Zips (19-26-1) got a run back though in their half of the first on an RBI single that scored the runner from third.

After three and a half scoreless innings from that point, the scoring drought was broken up by Akron in the bottom of the fifth. The Zips Taryn Allmon led off the frame with a solo shot out over the right center field fence to tie the contest at two. That is the way the game stayed after seven regulation innings and headed into extra frames.

With the international tie break rules put in effect, Taylor Parsons was placed on second to begin the top of the eighth. Parsons was driven around to score when Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif./Rodriguez) beat out an infield single to second and put the Flash up 3-2. In the bottom half though Akron tallied the two runs it needed in order to take the win. After the Zips had tied the game at three, the Flash looked like they would be able to get out of the jam. With runners on second and third with no outs, SFU recorded two consecutive outs but an error allowed the game winning run to score from third.

Brooke Koch (Jersey Shore, Pa./Jersey Shore) got the start for SFU in game one and pitched four innings giving up seven hits and two earned runs. Layne came in for relief in the fifth and tossed the remainder of the contest, surrendering just three hits. Layne took the loss for the Flash, moving her record to 7-8 but was not charged with an earned run. The Red Flash collected 11 total hits in the first game, compared to the 10 that Akron recorded.

It was Akron who jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in game two as they plated a run in each of the first two frames. The Zips collected two more runs in the game and kept the Red Flash off the scoreboard to earn the 4-0 shutout win. Saint Francis served as the home team for the nightcap.

SFU picked up just four hits in the second game. Rex dropped to 5-11 on the year after surrendering the four earned runs on nine hits but also recorded five strikeouts.

Saint Francis concludes the home portion of its schedule this Saturday with a pair of Northeast Conference games against Central Connecticut State slated to begin at 1 p.m.