LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis softball team (13-6) takes a quick mid-week trip to Akron for a doubleheader on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 

The Matchup: Saint Francis (13-6) at Akron (3-13)
Location: Lee R. Jackson Field (Akron, Ohio)
Date and Time: Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Live Stats: gozips.com
 
SCOUTING THE ZIPS
Akron holds a 3-13 record this season. Last weekend the Zips opened conference play against Buffalo, splitting the series 2-2. Akron was shutout 4-0 in the Friday game before earning the 3-0 shutout in the first game on Saturday. Buffalo won the second game of the Saturday doubleheader 7-2 before Akron took the final game of the weekend 4-2. The Zips beat Delaware State 3-0 in its first win of the season on February 26.

This season, red-shirt freshman outfielder Molly McChesney leads the Akron offense in batting average (.429), runs (8), hits (15), triples (1), total bases (17), slugging percentage among starters (.486), on-base percentage (.459) and stolen bases (6). Red-shirt sophomore pitcher/infielder Lexie Petrof leads the seven-player Zips pitching staff among those who've pitched at least 10 innings in ERA (2.29), saves (1) and opponents' batting average (.243). Petrof has 15 strikeouts through 18.1 innings of work.

SERIES WITH THE ZIPS
Akron leads the all-time series 12-8 against Saint Francis. The teams most recently met in 2015 when the Red Flash swept the doubleheader. SFU won the first game 4-2 and the second game by a 9-2 margin. Earlier in the 2015 season, the Red Flash captured a 5-1 win against the Zips as part of the Rebel Games in Florida.

LAST TIME OUT
Saint Francis swept its doubleheader at Youngstown State last weekend, earning an 8-0 shutout in five innings in the first game and winning the second game by a 7-3 margin. Grace Vesco and the Red Flash recorded the fifth shutout of the season in game one. Tayven Rousseau led the SFU offense in the first game, going 2-of-3 with three RBI and a home run. In the second game, Rachel Marsden earned the win in the circle while Lindsay Ward led the offense, finishing 3-of-4 with three RBI, two runs, two stolen bases, a triple and a double.
 
This season, the Red Flash pitching staff ranks 18^th in ERA (1.40), 28^th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.65) and is tied for 41^st in shutouts (5), while the offense is 41^st in on-base percentage (.394). Vesco ranks in the top 50 in the country in four categories – tied for second in shutouts (5), 11^th in hits allowed per seven innings (2.85), tied for 25^th in wins (8) and 38^th in ERA (0.95). Ward is ninth in the country in hit-by-pitches per game (0.53).
 

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