Greenville, N.C.- A cannonball of a grand slam provided the firepower for the ECU Pirates to defeat the Red Flash 7-5 on a blustery Saturday night. 

It was a cold and dreary night which followed a gloomy day marked by a torrential downpour. The rain forced the cancellation of a scheduled game with Purdue and pushed the game with ECU back from 5 pm to 5:30 pm. 

The Red Flash got off to a strong start when MeKenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) slashed a single up the middle. She reached third after two consecutive grounders but her advance stopped there as Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) struck out. 

ECU also started off with a single but Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) erased her from base path existence with a laser throw to prevent a steal. The batter appeared to single to right field but Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) achieved that rarest of birds: a 9-3 put out. The following pop-up was anticlimactic. 

The Red Flash began the second inning as they did the first frame. This time, Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hit the single. However, a fielder's choice, a strikeout, and a ground ball erased the opportunity. 

ECU struck for three runs in the bottom of the second inning. The leadoff hitter walked, a sacrifice bunt advanced her to second, and the small ball strategy worked as McCollum slammed a double for a RBI. The next batter singled and advance to second on the throw to place runners at second and third. A single and a sacrifice fly scored two more runs. Christina Clark (Avon, Ohio/Avon High School) struck out Inae for the third out but the damage was done. 

Saint Francis returned the favor in the top of the third inning. Saban reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. Bower and Norton singled to load the bases. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) resumed her productive habit of hit by pitches to earn a RBI. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) struck out but Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) smacked a single to tie up the game. Brianna Walker (Walworth, N.Y./Gananda) grounded out to finish the half inning but the teams were even. 

Unfortunately, the deadlock was short-lived. McClellan reached on an error and was followed by two singles to load the bases. McCollum, a bona fide power hitter, hit a bomb over the 220 mark in center field. The grand slam gave ECU a 7-3 lead. Clark kept her cool and recorded three straight outs to end the third inning. 

In the fourth inning, the Red Flash attempted some two-out magic. Saban singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Bower hit an infield single but Saban was narrowly tagged out at home in attempt to catch ECU unaware. 

ECU went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning. A ground out, a strike out, and a line out made quick work of the Pirates. 

Saint Francis fought back in the fifth inning. Norton, leading off, hit a single. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) legged out a single to the shortstop, and Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Frank struck out swinging. Allyn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin High School) pinch hit for Walker and hit into a fielder's choice which scored a run. Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) struck out to end the half inning. 

Clark continued to steady the ship. The leadoff batter flied out to Norton in left. Weingartz lined out to Bower who leaped up like Spiderman to snag the laser. McCollum walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch but Clark paralyzed Ziemba on a nasty pitch for a called strike three. 

Saint Francis again clawed away at the lead. With two outs, Bower singled up the middle, Norton singled past the second baseman, and Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hit a single to left field to drive in Bower. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) just missed a strike three pitch and as a result, the Red Flash were retired. 

Clark continued her strong finish as ECU was stopped in order, A fly out, a grounder, and a line out was all the Pirates could muster. 

The Red Flash wearing rally caps placed two runners on base. Walker reached on a fielder's choice and Troxell walked. But Crawford and Saban just missed plastering the ball and both struck out to end the game. 

Record Book Watching

Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) is one hit away from tying for fourth all-time in hits.