LYNCHBURG, Va. (Mar. 20, 2015) – The Saint Francis U softball team played its best while under the bright lights of ESPN and ran its winning streak to a season-high eight games. The Flash defeated Quinnipiac, 13-7, and Liberty, 5-4.
 
In its first game at the Liberty Softball Classic, SFU's offense struck for 13 runs on 14 hits. The Flash broke out the bats early as it scored six runs in the first inning. Four consecutive hits after a leadoff walk got things rolling for Saint Francis. Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton), Nicole Paiotti (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills), Taylor Parsons (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle), and Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) all recorded an RBI base hit to push the lead to 4-0 early. Maggie Creciun (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) reached on an error by the Bobcats' first baseman, which allowed two more runs to cross the plate and Saint Francis jumped out to a 6-0 lead after a half inning. 
 
Quinnipiac got on the board against starter Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) (3-1) in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run by Hannah Lindsley. The right-handed flamethrower pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win, allowing six runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one.
 
Paiotti struck again in the second inning with a single up the middle to bring home Witthus. Lindsley was the thorn in DeVries' side as she struck for two more home runs, a two-run shot in the third and a three-run blast in the fifth. She recorded six of the seven RBIs for the Bobcats.
 
Saint Francis broke through again in inning number six as Jordan Seneca (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) ripped an RBI triple into left center field as SFU pushed across four runs in the inning. The offense continued in the seventh as Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) finished off the Flash's scoring in style with a towering home run to left field.
 
Chelsea Rex (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola) came in relief for DeVries in the fifth and worked 2 2/3 innings of one run ball to pick up her first save of the year.
 
In the nightcap of the day's games for Saint Francis, the offense continued to dominate as it did in the afternoon slate. The Flash scored one in the first and two runs in the third before Liberty pushed two runs across in the bottom half of the inning to cut into the lead. But SFU came right back and matched the Flames two runs with two of its own.
 
Bower (4-1) got the nod to start game two and dominated through 6 1/3 innings allowing one earned run with one walk and striking out five. Ethel Santai (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) came in to close out the game to pick up her second save.
 
Witthus picked up another two hits and Cabell knocked in two runs to lead the way for SFU. Bower and Parsons each added an RBI double to aid in the Flash's offensive outburst.
 
With today's victories, Saint Francis U moves to 15-4 on the year, which continues the best start in school history. The Flash will face North Carolina Central and Rider tomorrow looking to improve on its eight game winning streak. First pitch is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. and 5 p.m.