First Game TUCSON, Ariz. – The Saint Francis softball team was downed, 5-0, by James Madison in Friday's first game at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational. The Red Flash only trailed by two runs for the first six innings, but a three-run seventh broke the game open for JMU. The Red Flash is now 7-11 this season.
Junior
Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) started the game for the Red Flash, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, while striking out one and walking two. Bower was replaced in the second inning by junior
Ethel Santai (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area), who went 2.2 shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out a batter. Junior
Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) entered in the fifth inning, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out three and walking three. Junior
Blaire Lauthers (Doylesburg, Pa./Fannett-Metal) recorded the final out for SFU.
James Madison entered the game with a team ERA of 0.90, ranking second in the nation, and proved the strength of their pitching staff. Jailyn Ford pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits, with 14 strikeouts and no walks. Ford allowed three other baserunners on hit-by-pitch's. She improved to 6-0 on the year.
Freshman
Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) recorded two of the Red Flash's three hits. Junior
Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) added a double.
James Madison got the first run of the day in the first inning. With runners on first and third, the Dukes ran a steal play that resulted in Erica Field stealing home.
JMU added a run in the top of the second. With runners on first and third, Madyson Moran placed a bunt between the pitcher and third baseman, which allowed Niki Prince to score from third and give the Dukes a 2-0 advantage.
The Red Flash threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Troxell singled through the right side for SFU's first hit of the day.
Kelsie Marconi (Lowber, Pa./Yough) entered the game to pinch-run for Troxell. The next batter,Witthus, followed with a double to right-center. Marconi tried to score from first, but was thrown out at the plate. Witthus moved up to third on the throw, but a strikeout ended the inning.
After four straight scoreless innings, the Dukes broke the game open with three runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Field hit a solo home run. Later in the inning, Ford added a two-run shot, which also scored Morgan Tolle.
The Red Flash takes on UTEP at 3 p.m. in the second game of the day.
Second Game TUCSON, Ariz. – The Saint Francis softball team earned a 12-1 win in six innings against UTEP in Friday's second game at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational. The Red Flash totaled 14 hits and scored seven runs in the sixth to put them in position for the mercy-rule win. SFU improved to 8-11 this year and posted its fifth game this season with double-digit runs.
Alexis Bower (Cogan Station, Pa./Williamsport Area) started in the circle and picked up the win to improve to 2-4 this season. The junior pitched 4.2 innings, including a shutout through the first three frames, allowing one run on three hits, while striking out two and walking three.
Ethel Santai (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) replaced Bower with two outs in the fifth inning. Santai finished the final 1.1 innings, allowing no runs or hits.
For UTEP, Kaitlin Fifield started, pitching 3.1 innings, while allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits, while striking out three and walking two. Taylor Grohmann pitched 2.1 innings, giving up five runs on six hits and a walk. Dani Fincham pitched a third of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk.
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) led the Red Flash with a 4-for-4 day, including a home run, three RBI and three runs scored. Bower added three hits, in three at-bats, with a triple and three RBI.
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) added two hits and scored a run, while
Aly Ramsaier (Mesa, Ariz./Mountain View) went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton) had two RBI and scored a run.
The Red Flash were the first to strike on the scoreboard. After two scoreless innings, SFU put up three runs in the top of the third. Singles by
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois),
Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) and
Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) loaded the bases with one out for Bower. The junior hit a sacrifice fly to right to allow McKee to cross the plate.
Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) followed with a walk to re-load the bases. Cabell then drew a walk to score Norton. Junior
Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) followed by reaching on an error by the third baseman to allow Seneca to score and give SFU a 3-0 advantage.
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run to left to give SFU a four-run lead. Later in the inning, Bower hit a two-out triple to right-center to plate
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois), who had reached on a single. That gave SFU a 5-0 lead.
UTEP answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Hope Moreno.
The Red Flash exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth, sending 13 batters to the plate. A Seneca hit-by-pitch, Bower single and a Troxell single loaded the bases for Cabell. The sophomore drew a walk to score a run. Witthus followed by drawing a walk to score pinch-runner
Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport). The next batter, Ramsaier, singled through the left side to plate Troxell.
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) then singled up the middle, resulting in three runs scoring and McKee moving up to second. The final run of the inning came on a bases-loaded walk by Bower after a single by
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) and a walk by Seneca. SFU led 12-1 after the top of the sixth.
The Red Flash returns to action on Saturday to close out the Arizona Wildcat Invitational. SFU takes on Mount St. Mary's at 1 p.m. and No. 15 Arizona at 6 p.m.
