BOX SCORE Flash Points:

• SFU Softball opened the NEC Tournament with a 4-3 win over Robert Morris on Thursday.
• The Red Flash scored two runs in the seventh for a walk-off victory.
• Sophomore Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hit a solo homer to tie the game in the seventh before Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson)' game-winning single.
• The Red Flash, who improved to 46-9 overall and won its 19th straight game, meets Wagner at 10 a.m. tomorrow in the winner's bracket.
• SFU has won 34 of its last 35 games and is now one win away from tying the NEC record, set by UMBC in 2002.

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LORETTO, Pa. – Senior Kindra Witthus (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) singled to left to drive in sophomore McKenzie Burge (Osceola Mills, Pa./Phillipsburg-Osceola) for a walk-off 4-3 win over Robert Morris in game one of the NEC Tournament on Thursday.  The Red Flash, the top seed, moved on to the winner's bracket of the tournament.  Saint Francis improved to 46-9 overall, winning its 19th straight game and its 34th in its last 35 games.  SFU is now one win away from the NEC season record, set by UMBC in 2002.
 
The Red Flash will take on the No. 3 seed Wagner in tomorrow's winner's bracket matchup, beginning at 10 a.m.  Wagner advanced with a 6-3 win over Sacred Heart on Thursday.
 
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, but sent seven batters to the plate in the inning as it rallied for two runs and a walk-off victory. 
 
With one out in the inning, sophomore Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) launched a fly ball to center field that just cleared the wall to tie the game at 3-3.  It was McKee's seventh homer of the year.
 
Junior Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton) followed with a double down the line in right field.  Sophomore Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) then hit a grounder to third, but the first baseman pulled her foot to allow Troxell to reach.  Pinch-hitter freshman Taylor Hoover (Phillipsburg, Ohio/Northmont) drew a walk to load the bases.  Freshman Halle Marion (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) grounded into a fielder's choice, which resulted in Cabell being thrown out at home.  Witthus sent the first pitch of her at-bat through the left side of the infield to score pinch-runner Burge from third.
 
Senior Ethel Santai (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove Area) started in the circle for the Red Flash.  She went 3.2 innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits.  She struck out one batter and walked a batter. Freshman Abby Trahan (Kaplan, La./Kaplan) entered with one out in the fourth inning and shut down the Colonials offense.  Trahan fired 3.1 scoreless frames, giving up just three hits and struck out four batters.  Trahan had two 1-2-3 innings, including the top of the seventh, to help her to improve to 15-3 this season.
 
Sophomore Kaitlin Ellzy threw a complete game, going 6.2 innings.  She allowed four runs, three earned, on eight hits, while walking eight batters and striking out two.
 
McKee led the Saint Francis offense, going three-for-three, with two runs and a homer.  Cabell contributed two hits, while Troxell drove in two runs.  Sophomore Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) had a hit and a run and Witthus drove in a run.
 
Freshman Taryn Miller drove in two runs on a double to lead the RMU offense.  Sophomore Taylor Bartlow had two hits and scored a run, while junior Olivia Lorusso had a double and a run.  Freshman Natalie Higgins added a hit and a run.
 
The Red Flash jumped out to a two-run lead in the bottom of the first.  C. McKee led off the inning with a walk and then went to second on a wild pitch.  Three batters later, S. McKee drew a walk, with her sister moving to third on a wild pitch on the final pitch of the at-bat.  After S. McKee stole second, Cabell drew a walk to load the bases.  Troxell followed with a grounder through the right side of the infield to plate the McKee sisters.
 
Robert Morris answered with a run in the top of the second.  After a double by Lorusso and a single by Bartlow, RMU ran a steal play with one out.  A throwing error allowed Bartlow to steal second and Lorusso to cross the plate and cut the RMU deficit to 2-1.
 
The Colonials took the lead in the top of the fourth.  Higgins led off the inning with a single to left.  Two batters later, Bartlow reached on a fielding error.  After a walk by Kristen Pray loaded the bases, Miller lined a double to the wall in left to score Higgins and Bartlow and give RMU a 3-2 lead. 
 
Saint Francis got two runners on in the bottom of the fifth and loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but a groundout ended the fifth and a popout ended the sixth to end the SFU threats and setup the comeback victory in the seventh.
 
 
NEC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 11
Game 1: No. 1 Saint Francis 4, No. 4 Robert Morris 3
Game 2: No. 3 Wagner 6, No. 2 Sacred Heart 2
 
Friday, May 12
Game 3: No. 1 Saint Francis vs. No. 3 Wagner, 10 a.m.
Game 4: No. 2 Sacred Heart vs. No. 4 Robert Morris, 1 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 4 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 13
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, if necessary