MOON TWP., Pa. – The Saint Francis softball team opened Northeast Conference play in fine fashion on Sunday, shutting out Robert Morris, 5-0. Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) and Blaire Lauthers (Doylesburg, Pa./Fannett-Metal) combined to throw the shutout.

The Flash got all the runs it would need in the first. After two outs, Bower was hit by a pitch and Chelsy Cosentino (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area) singled. Sabrie Neeb (Front Royal, Va./Skyline) singled home Bower, and Taylor Parsons (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle) singled up the middle to chase Cosentino home to make it 2-0.

The Colonials threatened in the bottom half of the first as they put runners at second and third with one out, but Bower got a strikeout and a grounder to second to end the inning without any damage.

It was still 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when RMU again put runners at second and third. The Colonials attempted a squeeze bunt, but Cosentino was able to tag the runner out before she could cross the plate.

The Flash added insurance in the fifth. Davina Kachnovitz (Bear, Del./Glasgow) capped a run of three straight singles as she brought home Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson). Samantha Thomas (Sterling, Va./Park View) reached on a fielder's choice to score Lindsey Reid (Bear, Del./Caravel Academy) to make it 4-0, and Kachnovitz capped the inning when she scored on a throwing error on Thomas' steal of second base.

Lauthers allowed just one hit without walking a batter in her three innings to earn the save. She also got eight of her nine outs via ground balls. Cosentino and Parsons each had two hits.

The second game of the doubleheader was pushed until tomorrow due to the late start of today's game. It will begin tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.