FURMAN, S.C. - The Red Flash Softball team (4-3, 0-0) split a day one doubleheader against Georgetown and Furman on Friday. The Red Flash dropped the weekend opener to Georgetown, 3-0, but bounced back to take the nightcap, 12-5.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Georgetown capitalized on a three-run fifth inning, while holding Saint Francis to just one hit in the game.
» Rachel Marsden picked up where she left off from last weekend both on the mound and in the batter's box against Furman. She posted a season-high eight strikeouts while collecting three hits and three RBI.
» Jordan Frank had a perfect day at the plate against Furman, going 3-for-3 with three RBI and a stolen base.
» Mekenzie Saban and Jordan Pietrzykoski combined for a 6-for-7 line against Furman.
FLASH QUOTES
» "I was proud of the way our team fought back in the second game and came out of the gates and put two runs on the board. We didn't play our best defensively, but we made plays when we needed to and we came through on offense to put runs on the board and seal the deal. The second game was much more like who we are than the first game."- Head Coach Jessica O'Donnell
» "[Rachel] knows what we expect here and she knows what I expect from her as a leader. She really steps up and does whatever she can for the team, and she demands that from her teammates as well. Just another great performance by her both in the circle and at the plate." - O'Donnell on Rachel Marsden
» "I think we really came together as a team and decided that we played as individuals in the first game and then played like a team in the second and made it bigger than ourselves out there. I really think that was the important part in our win." - Junior Pitcher Rachel Marsden
» "I'll be the first to say that I didn't have my best stuff out there but it's a team game and my teammates were behind me and helped me offensively with hits and runs. Overall, it was a great team win." - Marsden on performance
» "We just really focused on playing for each other and picking each other up after making mistakes, and just rallying around the great plays and hits we had and just stringing it all together." - Graduate Infielder Mekenzie Saban
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME - GAME 1
» Both teams held each other hitless throughout the first two innings of the game, with pitcher Grace Vesco tallying two strikeouts in that time.
» Georgetown collected their first hit in the third inning, but would strand the runner after a fly out to right field ended the game.
» Saint Francis would load the bases in the fifth. Sydney Baker reached base with a hit by pitch and added a stolen base; Mekenzie Saban would follow with a single, marking the lone hit for the Red Flash. An inning-ending double play by Georgetown third baseman Lorena Vasquez-Inzunza stopped the Red Flash rally.
» The next inning, Georgetown scored three runs with two singles and a walk.
» Georgetown pitcher Kayla Dunn would hold Saint Francis in check throughout the remaining two innings, notching her first win of the year.
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME - GAME 2
» Saint Francis came out of the gates firing against Furman, posting two runs in the top of the first inning. Rachel Marsden brought in both on a fielder's choice.
» Furman brought in two of their own in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a single, triple and sacrifice fly.
» Mekenzie Saban lined a two-out double to right center in the second and Jordan Pietrzykoski walked the next at-bat, but both were left on base after a ground out ended the inning.
» Marsden led off the Saint Francis portion of the third with a double to shallow left center field, and was later brought in to score on a single to right by Jordan Frank. Three more runs came in to score after a Furman error and two singles by Saban and Pietrzykoski.
» Furman would inch back in the third, as a three-run home run by Natalie Morgan brought the Paladins within one. Furman added two more hits in the inning, but Marsden nabbed a strike out and fly out to end the frame.
» After a scoreless fourth, Saint Francis added two insurance runs following a single to left by Lindsay Ward.
» Frank added another for Saint Francis with an infield single a few hitters later.
» Saint Francis added two more in the seventh. Pietrzykoski scored on a single to right by Marsden, while Ward came into score on a sacrifice fly.
» Lexi Hernandez joined the hit parade and gave Saint Francis a seven-run lead with an infield RBI single a few hitters later.
» Marsden continued to dominate on the mound throughout the remaining innings as she tallied four more strikeouts in the final three innings innings, marking a season-high eight punch-outs.
FLASH NUGGETS
» With her performance against Furman, Rachel Marsden has tallied four or more strikeouts in all three of her starts this season.
» Marsden also eclipsed seven strikeouts for the first time since May 5, 2021, when she racked up nine against CCSU.
» Five Saint Francis hitters tallied multi-hit performances against Furman: Rachel Marsden, Mekenzie Saban, Jordan Pietrzykoski, Lindsay Ward and Jordan Frank.
» Lexi Hernandez tallied her first hit of the season against Furman.
» Game One was the first time Saint Francis was held to one hit or less in the regular season since Feb. 14, 2020 against Campbell.
UP NEXT
» Saint Francis (4-3, 0-0) returns to Pepsi Stadium tomorrow for a doubleheader against South Dakota and Furman. First pitches are slated for 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. respectively.
