Boiling Springs, NC.- The Saint Francis softball team (6-7) dropped two games on Saturday against host Gardner-Webb 2-1 and ETSU 15-6.

Game One

The Red Flash jumped out to a 1-0 lead courtesy of strategic baseball. MeKenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) led off with a double, Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) moved her over to third and Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) smacked a sacrifice fly to score Saban.
Gardner-Webb countered with a run in the bottom of the first inning. A throwing error by Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) with two outs gave the Runnin' Bulldogs new life and they capitalized with a double over Norton's head to tie it up.

In the second inning, Saint Francis, despite a walk and a stolen base by Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois), were unable to push across a run. Gardner-Webb hit a single but a clever piece of strategy eliminated the nascent threat. As the runner crept off first base, Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) stealthily slid behind her, Tayvon Rousseau delivered the precise strike, and the runner was tagged out. Billy Martin would have approved. The Runnin' Bulldogs, having lost a step, were easily dispatched.

In the third inning, Bower drew a two-out walk but was left stranded due to Norton's pop-up. Gardner-Webb advanced a threat due to a towering pop-out that was so high that Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) attempted to race in and catch, her sliding endeavor proved unrewarding but Bower gained two quick outs to end the inning.

The fourth inning witnessed another scoreless stanza. The Red Flash were unable to convert Cheyenne McKee's (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) lead-off walk into runs. Gardner-Webb had a single and a walk but a slick double play, reminiscent of Tinker, Evans and Chance, by Bower to McKee to Crawford ended the frame.

Once again, the Red Flash were unable to score in the top frame as SFU went down 1-2-3. GWU, however, pushed the crucial run across. Two singles and two outs brought Perry to the plate and she doubled over Frank's head for the big run.

The Red Flash entered the sixth inning eager to tie up the game but a Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) single was not enough to score a run. Gardner-Webb started their frame with a double and advanced the runner thanks to a sac bunt. Bower escaped the jam with a shallow fly out and a strikeout.

The rally caps were out in full force for the seventh inning. After two swift outs, Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) came to the plate. She hit a pop-out which the first baseman inexplicably dropped. The Red Flash earned new life. Two wild pitches placed Troxell on third but Allyn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin High School) struck out swinging to end the game.

Game Two

The Red Flash started off the game with a single and a walk by Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) and Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) but Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) and Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) flied out and grounded out to end the opening frame.
Lauren Bertig (Indiana, Pa./Indiana High School) started in the circle for the Red Flash. She struck out the first batter. ETSU blasted two cannonballs over the wall. The first home run was a three-run bomb over the center field wall. The second homer bounced off the brick wall in left field. Meadow Uncapher (Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant High School) was summoned to replace Bertig. The Buccaneers loaded the bases but Uncapher escaped without ceding a run. The 5-0 deficit was not an inauspicious beginning.

Saint Francis was unable to score in the top of the second inning. A walk by Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) proved to be wasted. ETSU added three runs in their frame of the second inning. A double, a walk, and a stolen base enabled a single to score a run. Uncapher walked in a run and was removed in favor of Clark. Clark then walked in another run but she rallied to force a fielder's choice and a fly out to center field.
In the third inning, SFU had a Norton single but the other three batters failed to reach the plate. ETSU knocked in a run off of a double and a single. Clark minimized the damage by getting a strikeout and a pop-out.

The Red Flash went down in order 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth inning. ETSU continued the barrage. A throwing error and a single laid the foundations for a two-run single. A walk and two fielder's choices loaded the bases. Clark walked in a run and two doubles followed to score three RBIs. Two outs followed but ETSU opened up a 15-0 lead.

Saint Francis died hard. Allyn Bezjak (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin High School) singled, Halle Marion (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) reached on a fielder's choice, Saban singled through the left side, and Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Norton, as usual, was clutch and stroked a RBI single to center field. Bower's grounder scored another run at the cost of an out. Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) walked and Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) singled for two RBIs. Brianna Walker (Walworth, N.Y./Gananda) and Bezjak both walked and Bezjak's walk scored a run to make it 15-5. A wild pitch scored Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) and the Red Flash were two runs away from extending the game. Unfortunately, Marion was caught looking on a tough strike three call and Saint Francis fell to 6-7.

Up Next
The Red Flash conclude the Gardner-Webb Tournament tomorrow with a 10 am game against Bowling Green.