BOX SCORE GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Saint Francis softball team had to wait a few extra hours to open the 2014 season after an early-morning rainout, but the Red Flash wasted no time in showcasing its offense in a 10-1 win over Rider in five innings on Friday afternoon.
 
Saint Francis (1-0) scored in each of its four at-bats and took a 1-0 lead without the benefit of a hit in the home half of the first thanks to an RBI fielder's choice by center fielder Taylor Parsons (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle).
 
In the second, the Red Flash added four more runs. Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) singled to center to drive home Kate Blattenberger (Martinsburg, Pa./Central) to make it 2-0. Shortstop Davina Kachnovitz (Bear, Del./Glasgow) later drove home Samantha Thomas (Sterling, Va./Park View) on a base hit to make it 3-0. With runners at the corners, Kachnovitz stole second to allow Lindsey Reid (Bear, Del./Caravel Academy) an easy trip home to make it 4-0. Freshman Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) recorded her first collegiate RBI by driving Kachnovitz home to make it 5-0.
 
Kachnovitz extended the lead to 7-0 with a two-run homer to center in the third. Bower followed with a double to right, and she came around to make it 8-0 on a Chelsy Cosentino (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area) double to left field. SFU rounded out its scoring in the fourth as pinch runner Kelsie Marconi (Lowber, Pa./Yough) came around on Elise Jancef (Wilson, N.Y./Wilson)'s double to left field.
 
Kachnovitz, Bower and Cosentino each had two hits to lead the team while Kachnovitz, Bower and Thomas each scored two runs. Starting pitcher Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) allowed just one run on three hits without allowing a walk in four innings before Blaire Lauthers (Doylesburg, Pa./Fannett-Metal) came on to work a spotless fifth inning.
 
The Red Flash returns to action tomorrow as it faces host North Carolina A&T and Morgan State in afternoon affairs.