LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis softball team (11-6) added a doubleheader to this weekend's schedule on Saturday. The Red Flash will travel to Youngstown State to play two games, starting at noon.
 
The Matchup: Saint Francis (11-6) at Youngstown State (8-4)
Location: YSU Softball Field (Youngstown, Ohio)
Date and Time: Saturday at noon and 2 p.m.
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2
 
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State holds an 8-4 record on the season after beginning Horizon League games last weekend against UIC. The teams split the series 2-2 with YSU winning the first game on both days. The Penguins pitching staff did not give up more than four runs in a single game against the Flames as the Penguins offense scored as many as five runs while being shutout once. Youngstown State previously beat Akron four times and split the series with Norfolk State evenly at 2-2.

This season, freshman utility player Hailey Niederkohr leads the YSU offense in batting average (.400) and on-base percentage among starters (.483). Five starters have each tallied 10 or more hits as the offense has hit a collective 15 doubles through 12 games. Senior infielder/pitcher Maddi Lusk leads the Penguins pitching staff in ERA (1.22), wins (3), appearances (6) and opponents' batting average (.176) and has thrown four complete games and registered a save.

SERIES WITH THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State leads the all-time series against Saint Francis 23-10, though the two teams have not met since the 2014 season. In 2014, SFU and YSU split the doubleheader, with Saint Francis earning a 6-3 victory in game one and Youngstown State winning 4-3 in game two. In the 6-3 win, the Red Flash used five runs between the first two innings to take a lead and never look back. Saint Francis fell behind in game two 4-1 entering the sixth inning and responded with two runs in the top of the sixth, but the rally fell just short.

LAST TIME OUT
The Red Flash went 2-2 last weekend, earning two decisive wins against Gardner-Webb and playing in two tight extra-inning contests with Toledo. SFU began the weekend with a 3-1 loss in eight innings against Toledo but bounced back with a 13-0 shutout against Gardner-Webb later in the day. Saint Francis fell to Toledo again in eight innings, 3-2, on Sunday. In the final game of the weekend, Saint Francis earned the 9-1 win against GW, using a five-run seventh inning to pull away for the win.

Earlier this week, Saban was named NEC Co-Player of the Week for her play against Gardner-Webb and Toledo. Joining Saban as NEC Prime Performers was Lexi Hernandez, Rachel Marsden and Grace Vesco. Saban was selected as NFCA Top Performer.

The Saint Francis pitching staff ranks 21^st in the country in ERA (1.42), 33^rd in strikeout-walk ratio (3.59) and is tied for 42^nd in shutouts (4). The SFU offense ranks 49^th in on-base percentage (.388) in the country. Individually, Vesco is tied for second with four shutouts, is 14^th in hits allowed per seven innings (2.85), is tied for 22^nd in wins (7) and 42^nd in strikeouts (63). Lindsay Ward is 14^th in the country in hit-by-pitches per game (.53). Saban is tied for 20^th with seven doubles.
 

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To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.