LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University softball is set to open the 2022 season at the Elon Softball Classic. The Red Flash begin the season looking for their fifth straight Northeast Conference title.
 
Saint Francis Quick Hits
» The Red Flash return four players who played at least 45 games last season and four others who appeared in at least half of the games.
» Infielder Mekenzie Saban leads returning hitters after she finished the 2021 season with 76 hits that ranked ninth in the NCAA Division I and a .452 batting average that ranked 12th. She ranked tied-fifth in the nation with 20 doubles. Her hits and doubles rank second in program history for single-season marks, only short of her own standard set in 2019.
» Pitcher Grace Vesco set a new program single-season record with 196 strikeouts. She had an NCAA Division I fifth-ranked 1.00 earned run average last season, which was the second-lowest mark in program history. She was unanimously selected as NEC Pitcher of the Year.
» Pitcher Rachel Marsden returns after she ranked 45th in the NCAA Division I with a 1.62 ERA, which is the third-lowest single-season mark in program history. She and Vesco were the only NEC pitchers in the top-125 rankings.
» All-NEC First Team selection Jordan Frank returns for a fifth season after she started all-50 games and hit .268 with six doubles, four home runs and stole eight bases.
 
Scouting IUPUI
The Jaguars enter the 2022 season after a 12-23 conference and 14-31 overall record in 2021. They finished seventh out of 10 teams in the Horizon League last season and failed to qualify for the postseason. Sophomore Morgan Gilbert returns after a Second Team All-Horizon League and All-Freshman Team campaign in 2021. She started all-44 games at shortstop and led the Jaguars with 49 hits, four triples and had a .320 batting average. Junior Jordan Barnes was a Second Team All-Horizon League selection after she led IUPUI with a .325 batting average, .506 slugging percentage and .429 on-base percentage. Sophomore Carly Metcalf is the only pitcher returning from last season with starting pitching experience.
 
All-Time vs. IUPUI
Both meetings with the Jaguars, on Friday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 13, mark the first two between the programs. IUPUI and Robert Morris are the two Horizon League opponents Saint Francis will face this season.
 
Scouting Appalachian State
The Mountaineers enter the 2022 season after an 8-12 conference and 27-19 overall record in 2021. They were eliminated from the Sun Belt Championships and with a 2-1 loss to South Alabama after winning the conference in 2019. Graduate student Baylee Morton led the 2021 team with eight home runs, 28 runs batted in and a .436 on-base percentage. Kayt Houston had a team-high eight doubles, a .504 slugging percentage and ranked second with a .326 batting average and 44 hits. Delani Buckner leads retuning pitchers with a 3.81 ERA and 17 appearances in 2021. The Mountaineers graduated All-Sun Belt Second Team selections Kenzie Longanecker and Gabby Buruato after the 2021 season.
 
All-Time vs. Appalachian State
Appalachian State holds a 1-0 advantage over the Red Flash after a 4-1 victory in 2004. The Mountaineers are the only Sun Belt opponent Saint Francis will face this season.
 
Scouting Elon
The Phoenix enter the 2022 season after a 10-8 conference and 18-21 overall record in 2021. They took a 7-5 loss to Delaware in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships that ended their 2021 season. Elon was selected to finish third in the CAA Preseason Poll and received one first-place vote. The Phoenix return four All-CAA players from the 2021 season, led by Second Team selections Megan Grant, Rebecca Murray and Alexa Nemeth. Murray led the team with a .352 batting average, 43 hits and seven doubles in 122 at-bats. Grant hit .323 with 31 hits, 26 runs scored and 16 runs batted in. Nemeth, a pitcher, had a 3.55 ERA and eight complete games in 16 appearances. Elon will look to replace the production of First Team All-CAA selection Ally Repko, who is now playing for Virginia Tech.
 
All-Time vs. Elon
Elon holds a 1-0 advantage over Saint Francis after they defeated the Red Flash 10-2 in 2007. The Phoenix are the only CAA team Saint Francis will face this season.
 
Saban: Record Setter
Infielder Mekenzie Saban set a program record for highest batting average in a single season with her .452 mark in 2021. She had the second-most hits, 76, and doubles, 20, in a single season, falling just short of her own standard set in 2019 with 80 hits and 23 doubles. Saban also ranks third in single-season runs scored with 63 in 2019 and fifth with 19 stolen bases in 2021. She enters the 2022 season with 45-career doubles, fourth in program history, and 133 runs scored, fifth in program history.
 
Vesco No. 81 in Extra Inning Softball Elite 100 Rankings
Pitcher Grace Vesco was placed 81st in the first-ever Extra Innings Softball Elite 100 College Player Rankings. In 2021, Vesco set a new program record with 196 strikeouts and had the second-lowest ERA at 1.00. In her career, Vesco has just 239-career strikeouts in just 227.1 innings pitched.
 
1-2 Punch Returns
Grace Vesco and Rachel Marsden, both juniors, return after a historic 2021 season. The duo guided Saint Francis to a 1.47 staff ERA that ranked fourth in the NCAA Division I last season. Vesco's 1.00 ERA finished fifth in the nation and Marsden's 1.62 ERA finished 45th, the only two NEC pitchers in the top-125. Vesco's ERA was the second-lowest in program history and Marden's was third. The Saint Francis staffed tied for sixth-most shutouts in the nation last season with 19 and was 23rd with a 3.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
 
Four-Straight NEC Titles
The Red Flash have won four-straight Northeast Conference titles dating back to 2017. The only season during the stretch without a title was in the canceled 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two current players, Mekenzie Saban and Jordan Frank, were part of three of the titles. During the four championship seasons, Saint Francis has a combined 64-8 conference and 157-71 overall record.
 
Softball Picked First in NEC Preseason Poll
Saint Francis was picked to repeat as Northeast Conference Champions in this season's NEC Preseason Poll. The Red Flash earned six first-place votes and were selected to finish first for the first time since 2018. LIU was selected second in the conference and earned the remaining three first-place votes. Central Connecticut, Sacred Heart and Mount St. Mary's rounded out the top-five in that order.
 
Softball's Schedule Highlighted by Trip to Clemson
The Red Flash 2022 schedule features 14 home games and 40 away games, highlighted by a matchup at Clemson. The Tigers enter the season ranked No. 15 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and host Saint Francis, Akron and Boston University from Feb. 25-27. Saint Francis takes a trip to Jacksonville, Fla. where they will face Monmouth, North Florida, Holy Cross and Jacksonville from March 4-6. They have notable away games at in-state foes Penn State on March 22 and Pitt on April 6. Saint Francis' 24-game conference schedule begins at home on March 19 against LIU.
 
Petrie Joins Staff as Assistant Coach
Elysse Petrie joined head coach Jessica O'Donnell's staff in August 2021 as an assistant coach, working primarily with the pitching staff. She previously worked as a graduate assistant at Division II University of Indianapolis, where she guided one Midwest Pitcher of the Year and was part of the NFCA Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year. As a player, Petrie had the fewest earned runs allowed (178), second-lowest ERA (3.26) and second-fewest walks (76) in Centre College program history.
 
Frank Joins Staff as Graduate Assistant
Jackson Frank joined the softball program as a graduate assistant in January 2022. He is a former volunteer student manager on the Penn State baseball team, where he kept stats and opposing team scouting reports. As a player at Pennsylvania State University DuBois from 2017-19, he earned two United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships. He is the brother of current Saint Francis outfielder Jordan Frank.
 
Softball Adds Six Players in 2022 Signing Class
The Red Flash added Annabelle Farmer, Lauryn Kane, Savanah Nash, Brianna Sawyers, Tessa Thompson and Madelyn Wilson in the 2022 signing class. "This class is filled with incredible talent and experience," said head coach Jessica O'Donnell. "They have been competing nationally against the top competition for years and they are no stranger to winning the big games. We are looking forward to getting them on the field with us next year."
 
Next
The Red Flash will travel to the Furman Tournament in Greenville, S.C., where they will face Georgetown, Furman and South Dakota from Feb. 18-20.