BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Saint Francis softball team (10-5) opened the weekend at Gardner-Webb with a 3-1 loss in eight innings against Toledo (8-5) and a 13-0 win against Gardner-Webb (1-6). The Red Flash offense scored a season-high 13 runs against Gardner-Webb to earn its fourth shutout of the season as seven different players recorded a hit and 10 reached base.
 

THOUGHTS
Head Coach Jessica O'Donnell: "We finally got back to playing like a team again. I was excited to see us connecting on all cylinders against Gardner-Webb. When our team plays together, good things will come. I'm happy to see them get back to playing the way we started the season."
Freshman utility player Lexi Hernandez: "It was incredible – we played together. We finally got back to how it was the first few weekends. For me, I was just trying to see the ball down and keep myself calm in the box and drive the ball."
 
GAME ONE
Saint Francis 1, Toledo 3 (8 inn.)
Records: Saint Francis (9-5), Toledo (8-5)
Location: Brinkley Stadium (Boiling Springs, N.C.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Rachel Marsden pitched the complete game for the Red Flash. Marsden gave up two earned runs over eight innings while striking out seven batters.
Marsden and the Red Flash defense retired Toledo in order to begin the game, including the first two strikeouts of the game.

The SFU offense saw its first two hits of the game come in the bottom of the second inning but runners were left on the corners after singles from Lexi Hernandez and Madeline Barnes.

Toledo began the fourth inning with a walk and a single but back-to-back defensive plays ended the inning scoreless. Mekenzie Saban pinched in to catch the pop-up sacrifice-bunt attempt and threw to first to complete the double play. With two outs, the next Rockets hitter singled to shallow left field and Jordan Pietrzykoski made the throw to home in time to prevent a run from scoring.

The Red Flash defense recorded its second double play of the game in the fifth. After a one-out single, Marsden recorded her seventh strikeout of the game and Barnes threw out the base runner trying to steal second.

Toledo put the first run on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a pair of singles.

Saint Francis tied the game at one heading into the seventh inning. Saban led-off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Pietrzykoski.

Lindsay Ward singled and Saban advanced to third with one out. Allyn Bezjak entered the game to pinch hit and brought Saban home to tie the game with a sacrifice fly to deep right field.

The Rockets scored two runs in the top of the eighth to take a 3-1 lead. The international tie breaker rule put a runner on second to start the inning. Toledo scored that runner on a pair of singles and scored its second run of the inning on a sacrifice hit.

Saint Francis couldn't rally around a two-out double from Saban in the bottom of the eighth inning and scoring was capped at 3-1.

GAME NOTES

• Hernandez recorded her second multi-hit game of the season.
• Five different Red Flash players had a hit.
• This was the third game to go into extra innings for the Red Flash this season. Saint Francis won the other two extra-inning contests.
• This was Saban's seventh double of the season and fifth multi-hit game of the season.

 
GAME TWO
Saint Francis 13, Gardner-Webb 0 (5 inn.)
Records: Saint Francis (10-5), Gardner-Webb (1-6)
Location: Brinkley Stadium (Boiling Springs, N.C.)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Grace Vesco pitched the complete game for the Red Flash, earning her seventh win of the season and fourth shutout. After surrendering a hit to the lead-off batter, Vesco did not give up another hit all game. She gave up just one walk while recording four strikeouts.

The Saint Francis offense started strong, putting up five runs in the top of the first. Saban led off the game with her second home run of the season. Ward singled and Hernandez walked to put runners on second and third with one out. Bezjak brought Ward home with a single. Bezjak stole second on a play, which allowed Hernandez to score. Barnes followed that up with an RBI single to bring the score to 4-0 with one out. Gardner-Webb changed pitchers after Ashley Orischak drew a walk. The Red Flash loaded the bases when Brittney Crawford was hit by a pitch with two outs. Saban drew a walk to score the fifth and final run of the inning.

SFU extended its lead to 6-0 with a run in the top of the second. Ward led off with a single and scored on a double off the bat of Hernandez.

The Red Flash saw its lead grow to 11-0 in the top of the third. Jordan Frank drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a single off the bat of Crawford. Both Frank and Crawford scored on a double from Saban with nobody out. Saban stole third. Following a Pietrzykoski walk, Saban stole home and Pietrzykoski made it over to third on the play. Ward was hit by a pitch to prompt a second pitching change by the Runnin' Bulldogs. After Ward stole second, Hernandez drove in her second run of the game with a single. Hernandez stole second and Bezjak drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Barnes scored Ward and the bases were immediately re-loaded as Orischak was hit by a pitch, but the Gardner-Webb defense recorded back-to-back outs to end the inning.

The Saint Francis offense tacked on two more runs in the fourth to lead 13-0. Saban led off the inning with her third hit of the game, a single, and advanced to third on a double from Pietrzykoski. Both scored on Hernandez's second double of the game. The 13-0 score would stand as the Red Flash defense ended the game in the bottom of the fifth by retiring Gardner-Webb in order.

GAME NOTES

• The SFU offense scored a season-high 13 runs.
• This is the first time since the 9-1 win against the College of Charleston in five innings on February 28 that the Red Flash have scored five or more runs in an inning.
• Seven different Red Flash players recorded a hit and all nine starters reached base at least once.
• Saban and Hernandez both reached base in each of their four plate appearances.
• This is Saban's second home run and eighth double of the season.
• This is Saban's second multi-hit game of the day and sixth of the season. It's her third multi-RBI game of the season as she totaled a season-high four RBI.
• Hernandez recorded a season-high three hits and four RBI.
• This is Hernandez's second multi-hit game of the day and third of the season. It's her second multi-RBI game of the season.
• This is Ward's fourth multi-hit game of the season.
• The Saint Francis offense drew eight walks and was hit by a pitch three times.

 
UP NEXT
Saint Francis faces both Toledo and Gardner-Webb again on Sunday. The Red Flash first plays Toledo at 10 a.m., followed immediately by a game against Gardner-Webb at approximately noon.
 
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.