LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University softball completed its second series sweep to open conference play with an 8.1 win over Central Connecticut on Sunday. The Red Flash are a perfect 6-0 to start Northeast Conference play this season.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Grace Vesco pitched six inning and allowed one run on three hits with nine strikeouts and earned her seventh win of the season.
» Rachel Marsden went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBIs and her eighth home run of the season. She struck out one batter in one inning of relief.
» Olivia Ulam hit her second home run of the series, a solo home run, to open Saint Francis' scoring.
» Lauren Aubry scored two runs and drew two walks.
» Central Connecticut's Matison Piripavel drove in the only Blue Devils' run of the game.
 
FLASH QUOTES
"Grace and I are two completely different pitchers and we complement each other really well. I think using that difference is what helps us be so successful and this weekend was a huge confidence builder for both of us and the team. At the plate, I'm having a lot of confidence and fun with it – hitting is so fun for me especially when I'm out there pitching too." – Junior Pitcher/Designated Player Marsden on her and Vesco's success on the mound and her own success hitting.
 
"That first weekend against LIU was good and taking that momentum into this weekend with consistent energy made us successful as a team. We are starting to go fully up now as a team and we're playing a lot more consistent with our energy and communication." – Junior Pitcher Vesco on the team's overall performance against Central Connecticut.
 
"I'm very proud of the team in all aspects of the game, they ran the bases well, pitched extremely well and had the timely hitting we needed. I'm very happy with our weekend performance and a sweep is always a great thing in conference play." – Head coach Jessica O'Donnell on the team's weekend performance against Central Connecticut.   
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
» Ulam gave Saint Francis a quick lead with a solo home run in the top of the first inning – her second home run in as many games.
» In the second inning, Mekenzie Saban hit a two-run single that drove home Aubry and Marsden and gave Saint Francis a 3-0 lead.
» Marsden hit her conference-leading eighth home run of the season, a two-run home run in the third inning, to give the Red Flash a 5-0 lead. Ashley Orischak extended the lead to 6-0 when she scored on a wild pitch in the fourth.
» In the fifth inning, Katie Master recorded Central Connecticut's first hit on Vesco in 11 innings against. The Blue Devils loaded the bases with no outs and scored one run to cut the lead to 6-1.
» Saint Francis scored two more runs on two wild pitches in the seventh inning to seal its 8-1 victory.

Flash Nuggets
» Marsden extended her conference-leading home run total to eight and RBI total to 20.
» Ulam hit her second-career home run in the game one game after she hit her first collegiate home run. She is second in the NEC with 19 RBIs, only one shy of teammate Marsden.
» Vesco lowered her ERA to 2.54 from 2.97 with her weekend performance. She finished the weekend with one run allowed, three hits and 20 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.
» Saint Francis now has 18 wins in a row against NEC opponents.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis returns to the field with a road conference doubleheader against Bryant on Saturday, April 2 for a 1 p.m. start.