Greenville, NC.- The Saint Francis softball team (4-3) split games during Day One of the ECU Pirate Clash. The Red Flash fell 6-2 to the Purdue Boilermakers but triumphed 5-0 over the Vikings of Cleveland State.

Game One

The Red Flash were unable to get going against the Boilermakers and fell behind 6-0 before the bats awoke for two runs. A four run fifth inning essentially sealed the victory for Purdue.

The Red Flash batted first and despite a single by Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport), Saint Francis could not drive in the senior pitcher. A Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) fly out and a Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) grounder ended the inning.

First inning woes were conquered by SFU pitching as Bower, in her third start of the season, maneuvered around a possible hazard. A leadoff single was erased by Tayvon Rousseau gunning down the runner as she attempted a theft of second base. Becker walked but a fly out and ground ball put pat to any Purdue opportunity.

To start off the second inning, Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked and was advanced to second on an expertly executed Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) bunt. McKee made it to third on Brianna Walker's (Walworth, N.Y./Gananda) ground ball but Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) fouled out to end the threat.

Purdue's Wilhoit tripled to left center to start the second inning and the small ball strategy of a sacrifice fly scored the icebreaking run. Two singles followed a groundball out but Bower induced a sharp grounder to Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) to render the runners as mere footnotes.

The Red Flash placed a runner on the base paths in the third inning when MeKenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) walked but the Boilermakers turned a nifty double play to end the half inning.

In the bottom of the third inning, Purdue once again drew from the sacrifice fly well when a leadoff hit by pitch paid off after a walk and single advanced the runner to third base. Another hit by pitch was erased by a fielder's choice to conclude the inning.

The Red Flash went 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth as Norton and both McKee twins hit sharp grounders that, like homing targets, found Purdue gloves ready and welcoming.

Purdue threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning with a double and a single orchestrating a runners at the corners situation. Bower proved equal to the situation by forcing Platusic to fly out.

Unfortunately, the Red Flash bats remained mute as Frank, Walker, and Troxell all hit ground balls to the left side of the infield that were collected and deposited for outs.

The bottom of the fifth inning witnessed Purdue achieving that crystallizing inning that decides games. A single and a double with no outs forced Meadow Uncapher (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant High School) to replace Bower. However, the momentum was already rolling for the Boilermakers. A throwing error by Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) scored a run and then Brianna Walker (Walworth, N.Y./Gananda) couldn't handle a hot grounder which scored another run. Chase singled to left field to score another run. A ground ball to the pitcher resulted in a RBI when the runner took a chance and darted home on the throw to first. The throw to home was close but to no avail. A fly out ended the inning but the damage was done. A bloop and a blast lead was extended to a commanding advantage.

The Red Flash battled back with spirit. Saban, displaying great patience, exhibited excellent leadoff traits by drawing a needed walk. Bower pounded a double to the gap in left center. Norton continued her sizzling start with a sharp single that scored Saban and Bower. Cheyenne McKee's (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hard-hit grounder went right to the shortstop for an out. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked but Frank's groundball was collected by the first baseman for the final out.

Purdue was unable to add any insurance runs in their frame of the sixth inning when a single was erased by a slick 6-4-3 double play.

The Red Flash fan base had their rally caps ready to go but the magic wasn't present. Walker grounded out, Troxell popped up, and Rousseau worked the pitcher to a 3-2 count before she just missed a pitch to end the game.

Game Two

The Red Flash had little time to dwell on the early morning defeat as the Vikings of Cleveland State were waiting for the afternoon showdown.
 
Meadow Uncapher (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant High School) received her second start of the season and the freshman hurler pitched like an ace. The Vikings were held scoreless as Uncapher has yet to yield a single earned run in any of her three appearances. She scattered five hits and walked zero batters.

Cleveland State started the game with a single but Uncapher refused to allow any more pillaging of the base paths. A pop-up, a fielder's choice that was a near double play, and a ground ball ceased the Vikings' attempt to grab an early lead.

The Red Flash struck like early summer lightning in their frame. Saban walked but a Bower pop-up and a Norton grounder followed. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois), despite the wind blowing in, smashed a two-run home run over the left field wall. It was a mile high and a mile far and the Red Flash could still make Cheyenne. And make another run as continuing results would prove and by diverse methods. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) drew a walk and promptly stole second. Frank completed the old school tactics with two-out single. Frank then swiped second, made it to third on a wild pitch, and witnessed Walker, appropriately, walking to first. Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) just got under the pitch and flew out to shallow right field.

Uncapher was entrusted with a sizable margin and the freshman proved steadfast as a veteran to holding the lead. A two-out single was erased by a huge strikeout.

The Red Flash were unable to add to their lead in the second inning. Troxell flied out, Saban grounded out, and Bower lifted a high fly ball to the center fielder.

In the top of the third inning, Cleveland State again hit a two-out single which Uncapher promptly rendered moot with a harmless fly ball to Norton.

Norton opened SFU's third inning frame with a moonblast to left field. The mammoth atomic bomb forced the Vikings' manager to switch pitchers. Not to be outdone by her twin, Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked and stole second. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) attempted to drive in her sister but the third baseman gobbled up her sharp grounder. Cheyenne did make it to third base on a Frank fly out to left field. Walker, once again, aped her last name and drew a walk. Crawford, receiving another opportunity to shine, smacked an expertly placed infield hit to score a run. Troxell walked to load the bases. Saban hit a screaming line drive but the ball still influenced by the residue of Valentine's Day had eyes not for the inviting gap but the left fielder's mitt. The collection ended the third inning at 5-0.

The lead was all that Uncapher required. A leadoff single proved an innocuous distraction. A fly out, a fielder's choice, and a ship-sinking strikeout ended the Vikings' base path raiding.

In the Red Flash's fourth inning frame, a Norton single was the lone bright spot as a pop-out and two fly balls left her stranded at first.

The fifth inning witnessed little action by either team. Cleveland State led off with a single but in a familiar chorus, Uncapher rendered the baserunner a forgotten note. The Red Flash went down 1-2-3 in their frame.

The Vikings had one chance in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, a hot grounder slipped by Cheyenne McKee's (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) glove. Uncapher refused to let the error distract her and directed the batter to ground out to Cheyenne who grabbed the tricky hit to finalize the frame.

Troxell smashed a double to center field but she moved no further as a Saban fly out, a Bower ground out, and an unassisted play of a Norton grounder neglected the leadoff double.

Uncapher did not give Cleveland State any hope as she swiftly sunk the Vikings in a 1-2-3 fashion to earn the complete game and give Saint Francis a dominant win.