First Game
 
HUNTINGTON, W. Va.  – The Saint Francis softball team fell 9-2 against Marshall in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader at Dot Hicks Field.  The Thundering Herd scored four runs in the bottom of the first to set the tone.  The Red Flash tallied three hits.  SFU ended its eight-game win streak and dropped to 17-13 on the season.
 
Junior Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) pitched a complete game, but suffered her fifth loss of the year to put her at 5-5.  She allowed nine runs on 12 hits, while striking out two.  However, Bower only allowed five baserunners over the final four innings.
 
Jordan Dixon also went the distance for Marshall.  She allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out eight and walking two. She improved to 15-10 on the season.
 
Bower hit her fifth home run of the season, while freshman Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) added a double.  Freshman Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) also recorded a hit. 
 
Kaelynn Greene and Taylor McCord each had three hits for Marshall.  Raquel Escareno drove in three runs, while McCord had two RBI.
 
The Thundering Herd opened up the scoring with four runs in the bottom of the first.  After two bunt singles and a stolen base, another steal play allowed Greene to score from third.  A double to right center by Briana Daiss plated Elicia D'Orazio for the second run.  On a bunt to the pitcher, pinch-runner Summer Collins beat the throw home for the third run, while the fourth run scored on an error, which allowed McCord to cross the plate.
 
Marshall added two runs in the bottom of the second on a two-out double to left by McCord, which drove in Greene and D'Orazio to give the Herd a 6-0 advantage.
 
The Red Flash got two runs back in the top of the fourth.  After Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) launched a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left center to cut the deficit to four runs.
 
Marshall got three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a home run to left by Raquel Escareno to hold a 9-2 lead.
 
Second Game
 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Saint Francis softball team bounced back from a loss in game one to post a 4-0 victory in game two against Marshall.  The Red Flash collected nine hits, including two home runs, in the win.  SFU improved to 18-13 this season, while Marshall dropped to 19-13.
 
Redshirt junior Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) recorded her third complete-game shutout this season.  She went all seven innings, allowing only five hits, while striking out seven and walking three.  DeVries allowed only one Marshall runner to reach third base.
 
Ali Burdette pitched the first 4.1 innings for Marshall, giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits, while striking out one and walking one.  Jordan Dixon replaced Burdette, going two innings, while allowing one run on three hits, with four strikeouts and a walk.  Brittanie Fowler threw the final two outs, walking one batter.
 
Sophomore Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton) led the Red Flash offense in game two, driving in three runs, including a solo home run, her third of the year.  Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) had two hits, including her second home run of the day, her sixth on the season.  Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) added two hits.
 
Bower's home run in the seventh inning was the Red Flash's 33rd this season.  That tied the program record for home runs in a single season.  The 2008 team also hit 33 home runs. 
 
Cabell opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, lining a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right-center.  After singles by Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) and Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport), Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) reached on catcher's interference. With two outs, Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry), who had reached on a fielder's choice.  The Red Flash led 2-0.
 
Saint Francis added a run in the top of the third.  After a single to left by Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) and a double to right center by Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area), Cabell hit a sacrifice fly to right to allow Norton to cross and extend the SFU lead to 3-0.
 
Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) gave the Red Flash a 4-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.  The junior launched a fly ball over the wall in left center. 
 
The Red Flash begins NEC play this weekend.  SFU will take on LIU Brooklyn on Saturday in a doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m.  On Sunday, Saint Francis will battle Wagner, with the twinbill beginning at Noon.