Flash Points:

• SFU Softball hosts LIU Brooklyn on Monday and visits Bucknell on Tuesday for doubleheaders.
• The Red Flash is set for a Noon doubleheader against the Blackbirds, with a broadcast on NEC Front Row.
• SFU meets Bucknell for a 3 p.m. twinbill on Tuesday. Bucknell is 21-7 overall.
• Saint Francis and LIU Brooklyn (15-21, 1-1 NEC) were the top two teams in the NEC standings last season.
• The Red Flash enters this week with a 27-9 overall record, including 2-0 in the NEC.

Live Stats | NEC Front Row (LIU Game One) (Game Two) | Bucknell Live Stats | Radio


LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis Softball team opens its NEC home schedule on Monday as it hosts LIU Brooklyn for a Noon doubleheader at the Red Flash Softball Field.  The games will be broadcast on NEC Front Row, with Dan Griffin and Tyler Hastedt on the call.  On Tuesday, the Red Flash visits Bucknell for a doubleheader, beginning at 3 p.m.
 
The Red Flash, led by Head Coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift, is 27-9 overall, including 2-0 in the NEC.  Saint Francis looks to get back on track after snapping a program-record 15-game win streak in a nine-inning, 8-3 loss to Pitt on Wednesday.  Saint Francis swept its Northeast Conference opener last Monday, with 15-0 and 10-1 wins at Fairleigh Dickinson.
 
LIU Brooklyn, coached by Roy Kortmann, is 15-21 overall, including 1-1 in the NEC.  The Blackbirds split its NEC opener last weekend against Mount St. Mary's, falling 9-4 in the first game, but winning 3-2 in the second game.  LIU fell 9-1 against Stony Brook on Wednesday. 
 
Bucknell, led by Courtnay Foster, is 21-7 overall, including 6-2 in the Patriot League.  Bucknell plays Lehigh on Sunday before taking on SFU on Tuesday.  The Bison dropped both games of a doubleheader against Lehigh on Saturday, falling 3-2, in 11 innings, and 5-0.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Red Flash trails the all-time series, 43-12, against LIU Brooklyn.  The teams split last year's regular season series at LIU, with the Blackbirds winning the first game, 5-1, and SFU taking the second game, 6-0.  In the NEC Tournament, LIU won 5-4.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
A strong start by the Red Flash has caught the attention of national voters.  In the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, Saint Francis has received votes each of the last three weeks.  Saint Francis is ranked 51st in the latest RPI poll.  The Red Flash's ranking is a result of nine wins against RPI Top 100 teams, including wins over Fordham and Tulsa, who rank in the RPI Top 50.  The rest of the NEC has combined for three RPI Top 100 wins this year, with LIU Brooklyn owning all three.  SFU has played 17 games against RPI Top 100 opponents.  SFU is one of 27 teams with 27 or more wins.
 
SENECA IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Junior Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum)'s monster season has earned her some national attention this season.  After launching three home runs, including two grand slams, during the Texas Tech Invitational, Seneca was named FastPitchNews National Player of the Week.  She went four-for-nine at the plate, driving in 10 runs and scoring six.  Seneca became just the 11th player in NCAA history to hit two grand slams in a game in a 12-10 win over Texas Tech on March 17.
 
Seneca, who has earned five NEC Player of the Week awards this season, has been mentioned in two different ESPNW articles.  Seneca ranks second in the nation in home runs, with 16, and third in RBI, with 48.  She also ranks sixth in runs per game (1.23), 16th in slugging percentage (.865), 10th in walks per game (0.94), 20th in total bases (83) and 57th in on-base percentage (.515). 
 
SETTING RECORDS
Sophomore Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum)'s strong season has helped her to reach multiple SFU career records.  With a two-run homer against Pitt, Seneca collected career RBI No. 121, passing Kara Stroup (120, 2006-09) for first all-time at SFU.  Earlier this season, Seneca established new SFU career records for home runs (36), runs (125) and walks (92).  With 16 this season, Seneca is just two homers away from tying her SFU season record, set last year. 
 
Senior Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) is tied for the SFU career wins record, with 45.  She is tied with Laura Caldwell (2006-09).  DeVries is fourth all-time in strikeouts (391) and appearances (117). 
 
As a team, SFU is approaching a few season records.  The Red Flash is just six stolen bases away from setting the program record of 73, set in 2014.  SFU already has its second-most homers in a season (39) and is on-pace for the second-best ERA in program history (2.53).
 
NATIONAL LEADERS
Seneca isn't the only member of the Red Flash among the national ranks.  Sophomore Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) is third in the nation in doubles, with 14, and 11th in doubles per game, averaging 0.39.  Her sister, Cheyenne, has been a strong presence at the top of the lineup.  She ranks fourth in runs per game (1.25), 54th in batting average (.426) and 80th in on-base percentage (.496). 
 
TOP OF THE NEC
Saint Francis leads the NEC in several team categories.  The Red Flash leads the conference in runs per game (6.22), home runs per game (1.08), doubles per game (1.47), triples per game (0.25), slugging percentage (.474) and stolen bases per game (1.86).  Saint Francis also owns the league's top ERA, allowing only 2.53 runs per game.
 
STRONG IN THE CIRCLE
The Red Flash pitching staff has been strong all season, holding an NEC-best 2.53 ERA and holding opposing batters to a .216 average. 
 
Senior Ethel Santai (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) leads the NEC with a 1.97 ERA.  She owns an 8-1 record, with five complete games, and two saves.  She threw a perfect game in an 11-0 win over East Carolina on March 18, needing just 51 pitches to get through five perfect innings.  Santai has five outings this year in which she has pitched at least five innings and allowed one or less earned runs. 
 
Fellow senior Ketarah DeVries (Forreston, Ill./Forreston) has a 7-5 record in 20 appearances to go with a 2.74 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 69 innings.  DeVries threw a no-hitter against East Carolina on February 17, striking out 12 batters and walking just one.  She has six outings of five or more innings and one or less earned run.  DeVries struck out 10 batters in a five-inning outing in the season opener against NC Central and allowed just one hit, while striking out eight, in a win over ECU on March 19.  
 
Freshman Abby Trahan (Kaplan, La./Kaplan) is 11-3 this season with a 2.78 ERA in a team-best 85.2 innings.  She has struck out 61 batters and walked just 16, while throwing four complete games. Trahan threw a six-inning No-Hitter against Cleveland State on February 19.  She has six outings of five or more innings and one or less earned run.
 
SCOUTING THE BLACKBIRDS
LIU Brooklyn is 15-21 overall, including 1-1 in the NEC.  Last week, LIU split its NEC opener against Mount St. Mary's, falling 9-4 in the first game, but winning 3-2 in the second contest.  LIU dropped a 9-1 decision to Stony Brook on Wednesday.  LIU was picked first in the NEC Preseason Poll.
 
The Blackbirds lead the NEC in batting average (.301) and ranks second in runs per game (5.25).  Freshman Angie Rizzi leads LIU with a .384 average.  She has 43 hits, including a double and two triples, with 14 RBI and 27 runs.  Junior Victoria Zamora has a .377 average with six doubles, three homers, 24 RBI and a team-best 28 runs.  Sophomore Samantha Offenback leads LIU with six homers, while sophomore Schae Dickson has a team-best 26 RBI.
 
LIU is seventh in the NEC with a 5.78 ERA and allows an opponent batting average of .344.  Junior Erynn Sobieski has a team-best 4.61 ERA in 106.1 innings over 23 appearances.  Sobieski is 9-6 with six complete games.  Sophomore Tallie Woodson is 5-12 with a 5.72 ERA in 85.2 innings over 24 appearances. 
 
SCOUTING THE BISON
Bucknell is 21-7 overall and 6-2 in Patriot League play.  The Bison dropped both games of a doubleheader against Lehigh on Saturday, falling 3-2, in 11 innings, and 5-0.  Bucknell closes out its series against Lehigh on Sunday before facing SFU on Tuesday.
 
The Bison averages 5.35 runs per game and ranks 27th in the nation in batting average (.318).  Sophomore Lauren Hadley ranks 41st in the country with a .398 average.  She has 37 hits to go with 22 RBI and 22 runs.  Sophomore Anna Gimmestad is batting .383 with 36 hits, 16 RBI and a team-best 27 runs.  Junior Meghan Kovac ranks 11th in the nation with 30 RBI to go with a .360 average, a team-leading three homers, and nine runs.
 
Bucknell has a team ERA of 2.23 and allows an opponent batting average of just .211.  Freshman Raeanne Geffert has a team-best 2.07 ERA in 105 innings over 19 appearances and 12 starts.  She is 12-3, including nine complete games, with 84 strikeouts and just 13 walks.  Senior Lara Bean has a 2.54 ERA in 63.1 innings of work, covering 16 appearances and 11 starts.  With 12 appearances, and five starts, on the year, freshman Lauren Lichtenwalner has a 2.13 ERA in 26.1 innings with a 1-1 record.