ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Saint Francis softball team (6-1) swept its doubleheader with Tennessee Tech (4-6) on Saturday, winning the first game 6-2 and the second game 10-0 in six innings. The second game ended early off a grand slam from the bat of Jordan Pietrzykoski to cap an eight-running inning by the SFU offense. This extends the Red Flash's win streak to six games.
 
 
THOUGHTS (GAME ONE)
Senior infielder Mekenzie Saban: "My approach at the plate was to be loose, attack and hit line drives. I think that us scoring in the first inning really helped the energy throughout the game and continue to put up runs throughout the game."
 
THOUGHTS (GAME TWO)
Sophomore infielder Jordan Pietrzykoski: "I think we were seeing that pitcher super well. We had a lot of great contact. I was just looking to move runners and put the bat on that ball."
 
Head Coach Jessica O'Donnell: "This was a complete team win and we love to celebrate those the most. I love how we are putting up runs throughout the game and aren't getting satisfied with one or two. Our defense was sharp and Grace Vesco got stronger as the game went on. It was a great day for all."
 
 
GAME ONE
Saint Francis 6, Tennessee Tech 2
Records: Saint Francis (5-1), Tennessee Tech (4-5)
Location: Terry Field (Rock Hill, S.C.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Christina Clark started the game for Saint Francis in the circle and pitched three innings. She gave up one run on three hits and registered three strikeouts. Rachel Marsden came into the game as relief after the first two batters of the fourth inning. Marsden pitched the remaining four innings, giving up no earned runs on two hits and striking out four.
 
Mekenzie Saban led off the game with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Tayven Rousseau brought Saban in with an RBI single that gave the Red Flash an early 1-0 lead.
 
Following a 1-2-3 inning from Clark and the SFU defense, the Red Flash offense increased its lead to 3-0 in the top of the second. Lauren Aubry was hit by a pitch with two outs and scored on Saban's first home run of the season.
 
Saint Francis loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third inning on walks by Lindsay Ward and Lexi Hernandez and Rousseau's second hit of the game. Ward scored on a sacrifice fly from the bat of Madeline Barnes before a line-out ended the inning with SFU up 4-0.
 
The Red Flash added two more runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-0. Pietrzykoski hit a two-out single and stole second. Ward followed with a home run.
 
Tennessee Tech scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth to bring the score to 6-1. After a lead-off double and an RBI single, Marsden replaced Clark in the circle. Marsden struck out the first batter she faced and the SFU defense followed with back-to-back plays to end the TTU threat.
 
The score remained 6-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning when Tennessee Tech strung together a pair of singles and scored on a fielding error. Back-to-back groundouts ended the game.
 
GAME NOTES

• This is Rousseau's fourth-straight multi-hit game.
• Ward hit her third home run of the season and second of the weekend.
• This is Saban's first home run and first multi-hit game of the season.
• Seven different Saint Francis players reached base.

 
GAME TWO
Saint Francis 10, Tennessee Tech 0 (6 inn.)
Records: Saint Francis (6-1), Tennessee Tech (4-6)
Location: Terry Field (Rock Hill, S.C.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Grace Vesco pitched the complete game in the circle for the Red Flash, earning her second shutout of the season. Vesco surrendered only two hits while striking out three batters and walking none.
 
Saban led off with a double and scored on a single from Pietrzykoski to give Saint Francis an early 1-0 lead after one inning.
 
The Red Flash tacked on another run in the bottom of the second to lead 2-0. Jordan Frank, Hernandez and Ashley Orischak all singled. Brittney Crawford brought a run in with a single of her own.
 
The score remained 2-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Saint Francis offense once again came alive, scoring eight runs to end the game early. Ward and Rousseau were both hit by pitches to begin the inning and advanced to put runners on second and third following a sacrifice from Frank. Hernandez drove in two runs with a double to make it a 4-0 game. After Allyn Bezjak drew a walk as a pinch hitter, Orischak batted in Hernandez with a single to increase the lead to 5-0. A single by Crawford loaded the bases and a passed ball scored the run that brought the lead to 6-0. Saban re-loaded the bases with an infield single. The game ended on a walk-off grand slam by Pietrzykoski.
 
GAME NOTES

• Five Red Flash players tallied a multi-hit game – Crawford, Hernandez, Orischak, Pietrzykoski and Saban.
• This is the first collegiate multi-hit game for Hernandez and Orischak.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis concludes play at the Winthrop Eagle Classic on Sunday with games against UIC and College of Charleston. The Red Flash face UIC first at 9:30 a.m. with a game against CofC immediately following at approximately 11:45 a.m.
 
Follow Saint Francis Softball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash program.
 
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.