GREENVILLE, N.C. – Saint Francis University softball took a 5-2 win over Bucknell in its first game before a 5-4 walk-off loss to East Carolina in its second.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Grace Vesco (3-2) allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts in 10 innings pitched. She earned the win against Bucknell and took the loss in relief against East Carolina. 
» Rachel Marsden went 5-for-8 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBIs. On the mound she allowed three runs in three innings.
» Tessa Thompson went 2-for-3 with her first collegiate home run against East Carolina.
» Ashley Wruble and Olivia Ulam each hit one home run – Ulam's an inside-the-park effort.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME (BU)
» Ulam started the scoring in the first inning with an inside-the-park home run, followed two batters later by a two-run home run by Wruble. Sydney Baker extended the score to 4-0 in the second inning when she scored on an error.
» In the third inning, Marsden hit her second home run of the season and extended the Red Flash lead to 5-0.
» Vesco held Bucknell hitless until the sixth inning when a single and two-run double cut into the Red Flash lead 5-2. Vesco held Bucknell hitless in their final four at-bats to secure Saint Francis' 5-2 win.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME (ECU)
» Brianna Sawyers led off the game and was driven home by a two-out double to left field by Marsden in the first inning. In the bottom half, East Carolina tied the game with a triple and the runner scored after the throw to third hit her and went to the fence.
» In the second inning, Thompson hit a home run and gave Saint Francis a 2-1 lead before the Pirates tied the game again with an RBI double. Saint Francis regained the lead 4-2 in the third with an Ulam single and run scored on a wild pitch.
» East Carolina was back within one run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and tied the game 4-4 in the fifth inning. Saint Francis produced three hits in the final two inning but could not score before East Carolina scored the winning run on an error in the bottom of the seventh.

FLASH NUGGETS
» Vesco moved her career strikeout total to 438, which is eight shy of third in program history. Her win put her tied for third in program history with 44.
» Thompson was the first Red Flash freshman to hit a home run this season and it was also the first hit of her collegiate career.
» Marsden hit her second home run of the season and the second three-hit game of her career against East Carolina.
» The home run was Wruble's third of her career and she produced her second multi-hit game this season against Bucknell.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis is scheduled to continue its weekend at the Pirate Clash on Saturday at 10 a.m. against Radford and 3 p.m. against East Carolina.