Boiling Springs, NC. - The Red Flash softball team split two high-scoring games on a dreary, rainy Friday. Saint Francis lost the first game 8-7 to Bowling Green and won the second contest 16-10 against East Tennessee State.

Game One

The Red Flash jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, lost the lead, and then launched a spirited seventh inning rally to claim victory but the attempt fell just short.

Despite the large amount of runs, both teams generated little offense during the opening stanzas. The Red Flash went down 1-2-3 in both the first and second innings. Bowling Green mustered only a double that was quickly erased.

The third inning witnessed the origin of the high octane offenses. Bowling Green loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and two singles. The threat evaporated when Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) stabbed a laser line drive and stopped on first base to complete the unassisted double play.

Saint Francis capitalized on the defensive momentum to take the lead. Crawford reached on an error, Troxell dropped down a bunt and reached safety when BGSU tried to throw out Crawford but failed. Marion grounded out, Saban walked to load the bases, and Bower struck out which set the stage for Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove). With two outs, Norton's hit found the gap and in weather quite fitting for the metaphor, all the ducks came off the pond and Norton landed on third. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) followed up with a double and Norton scored to make it 4-0. Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) struck out but the lead was obtained.

In the top of the fourth inning, the Falcons clawed back to draw some limited blood. Sorgi singled, Gonzalez walked, and Everett singled to drive home the RBI. Uncapher prevented any more runs with a fly out.

Saint Francis had an opportunity to gain the run when Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) doubled to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Crawford grounded out, another wild pitch appeared to give McKee a chance to run home but a fortuitous ricochet off the backstop caught McKee in a rundown which she was unable to escape. Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) popped up to end the inning.

Bowling Green responded in the fifth inning with a huge inning to take the lead. After two quick outs, three straight singles scored a run. Uncapher attempted to escape the inning but Sorgi smashed a home run over the left center fence to grab the 5-4 advantage. A follow-up double proved fruitless as Everett grounded out to Troxell.

The Red Flash tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth at 5-5. Halle Marion (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) and MeKenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) walked and advanced on second and third on a wild pitch. Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) walked to load the bases. Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) flew out to right field for the sac fly. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked to reload the bases but Frank and Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) struck out swinging to conclude the fifth stanza.

The top of the sixth inning began with Hamm being struck by a pitch. This prompted Lauren Bertig (Indiana, Pa./Indiana High School) to relive Uncapher. A throwing error by Troxell allowed Sorgi to reach and Hamm to advance to third. Sorgi then swiped second. Blevins popped up to Troxell. Dees flied out to right field which scored a run. An error in the outfield allowed another run to score to deepen the deficit at 7-5. Holcomb flied out to end the inning.

The Red Flash's attempt to score in the sixth inning was met without success. Crawford struck out, Troxell walked, Bezjak, pinch hitting for Marion, popped up, and Saban flied out to center field.
Bowling Green added a crucial insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. A double and two walked loaded the bases. The scoring of the run, a hit by pitch, proved to be anti-climactic but it counted just the same. Bertig rallied to stem the damage with two straight strikeouts.

Wearing rally caps, the Red Flash attempted to pull out the comeback. Bower and Norton made two outs to start the inning. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) reached an error by the third baseman. Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) seized advantage of the opportunity by slamming a towering home run off the indoor practice facility. SFU was down 8-7. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked to place the tying run on the base paths. Crawford hit a floater behind second base but the shortstop speared it to end the game.

Game Two

Contrary to the first game, the offenses wasted little time getting revving up the machines and they kept the machines going as the two teams combined for 26 runs on 28 hits. The driving rain did nothing to dampen the fiery bats.

Christina Clark (Avon, Ohio/Avon High School) started in the circle for the Red Flash. The Buccaneers grabbed the early lead after a single and two walks set up the classic sacrifice fly. Another single reloaded the bases but Clark kept calm and collected a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Like a bolt of lightning, the Red Flash struck back. McKenzie Saban walked and Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) deposited her fourth home run of the year over the right field fence for the 2-1 lead. Two walks by the McKee sisters were left unused as strikeouts ended the inning.

ETSU tied it up courtesy of a couple of singles and a walk. Two fly outs ended the half inning. The Red Flash had a walk and a sacrifice bunt but a strikeout and a pop-up ended the second inning with a whimper.

In the third inning, ETSU mixed a meaningless single with three fly outs. In contrast, Saint Francis were able to make its fly out count. Norton, Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois), and Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) all walked to load the bases. A walk by Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) drove, err, walked in a run. The Buccaneers made a pitching change to stem the scenic tours around the base paths. Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) flew out for the sacrifice fly. Two outs followed but the Red Flash had a 4-2 lead.

It was an advantage that proved fleetingly. In the top of the fourth inning, ETSU singled, tripled, and walked to chase Clark from the mound. Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) emerged from the cozy dugout to enter the circle. A stolen base and a single through the left side scored two runs. A triple and a single plated two more runs for a 7-4 lead. A walk followed but Bower rallied to earn the final two outs.

The Red Flash stormed back to regain the lead. Saban reached on an error, but was erased on Bower's fielder's choice. Bower advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored off Norton's single to second. Norton also advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) singled to center field to score Norton. Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hit a bomb over the left center field fence to grab a 8-7 lead and SFU wasn't done. Crawford singled, Troxell walked, and Rousseau dropped a Texas Leaguer over the shortstop's head for a RBI. Saban, batting for the second time in the inning, walked to load the bases. Bower singled to third base to make it 10-7. Norton grounded out to complete the inning but the Red Flash retook the advantage.

In a fifth inning response, the Buccaneers fired some cannonballs to cut the deficit to 10-9. Warren singled and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt. Wright singled to create runners on the corners. A double by Schurr scored two runs. Bower kept it 10-9 by obtaining a large strikeout.

The Red Flash regained the two runs with some timely offense. Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) started the frame with a walk. Frank walked as well. A stolen base and another walk loaded the bases. Troxell hit an infield single to score a run. Saban patiently draw a walk to stroll in another run. A strikeout added the fifth inning at 12-9 SFU.

The Buccaneers attempted to raise the comeback sails but Bower's chain shot pitching cut down ETSU. The team from Tennessee went down 1-2-3.

The Red Flash, in its frame of the sixth inning, delivered a lightning bolt that sank the Buccaneers' ship. Norton doubled, Frank singled, and Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) walked to load the bases for Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan). Crawford thrilled the soaked Red Flash fans with a mighty grand slam. The tremendous blast broke open the game. Saint Francis entered the seventh inning with a 16-9 advantage.

ETSU tried hard not to give up the ship. Warren and Lee singled. Grupp hit a fielder's choice to score Warren but a run for an out was a willing transaction for Saint Francis. Another single was a last stray shot. Toler flied out to left field and the Red Flash raised the victory banner.

Record Book Notes

Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) has 188 career hits. Hayley Norton's (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) four hits today pushed her to 190 career hits to pass Nicole Bender and teammate McKee. Norton is four hits away from tying Kelly Slingwine for third all-time on the career hit list. Expect Cheyenne and Hayley to be chasing each other all year long as they both have Madison Cabell's (Ivor, Va./Southampton) record 202 hits mark in sight.  

Norton Security

The career hits category isn't the only list that Norton is burning up. She is now at 45 home runs for her career. With three home runs, Norton will tie Jordan Seneca's (Plum, Pa./Plum) total of 48 blasts. Norton's 17 RBIs in 2019 gives her 170 ribbies for her career. That passed Seneca for second all-time on the list. She is 18 RBIs away from tying, who else Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton), for first place.

Sierra Mist

Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) now has a firm hold on third place in the all-time doubles list with 39. She is also fourth all-time in stolen bases with 40. With her 11 walks on the season, she moves to second all-time in walks with 95 passing Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton). Finally, she is fourth all-time in RBI with 123.

Up Next
The Red Flash are back in action tomorrow at 10 am against ETSU and against host Gardner-Webb at 2 pm.