BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 6, 2013) – The Saint Francis U softball team lost a tight 3-1 game to South Dakota Wednesday morning at the Rebel Games, but came back in its second contest to down Holy Cross 3-2.

The Coyotes (13-8) plated runs in back-to-back innings to start the early morning game and put SFU (8-6) in a 2-0 hole after two full innings of play. Starting Red Flash pitcher Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) found her rhythm after that, allowing just one hit in the next couple of South Dakota frames. Saint Francis cut the lead in half in their portion of the fifth when Chelsy Cosentino (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area) connected to right center for her third hit of the game, scoring Samantha Thomas (Sterling, Va./Park View) from second.

South Dakota however got the run right back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single up the middle that gave them a 3-1 lead. Perhaps the best offensive chance for SFU arose in the top of the seventh. Taylor Parsons (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle) drew a one-out walk and was moved all the way over to third on a Davina Kachnovitz (Bear, Del./Glasgow) two-bagger to left center. Unfortunately for the Flash, after Cosentino was intentionally walked to load the bases, two consecutive fly outs to the outfield secured the win for the Coyotes.

DeVries (5-3) pitched a solid six innings but was dealt the loss. She gave up just two earned runs on eight hits but also struck out six batters in the process.

In game two versus Holy Cross (0-5) the Red Flash jumped out to an early one-run lead thanks to Parsons' first homerun of the season, a towering shot down the right field line. Saint Francis collected two more runs in the third. Parsons roped an RBI single to center field and was then driven around to score herself when Cosentino dropped in a single to left.

Chelsea Rex (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola) cruised on the mound all game long until the top of the seventh when a leadoff double set up Colleen Ahern to launch a two-run shot to right center, cutting the lead to 3-2 with no outs. Rex settled in though and got the three outs she needed to give her team its eighth win of the year. All in all, Rex improved her record to 3-1 and surrendered just four hits. For the first time in her career, she tossed double figure strikeouts, 10 in all.

Cosentino went 4-for-6 on the day with two RBI and a triple.

Saint Francis will enjoy an off day on Thursday and get back to the diamond Friday morning at 9 a.m. for a contest against Niagara.