TAMPA, Fla. – Saint Francis University softball dropped its final two games of the USF Tournament 3-0 to Illinois and 9-6 to South Florida.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Rachel Marsden (1-9) allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts against Illinois. She recorded a one-run double and scored a run against South Florida.
» Ashley Wruble went 2-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
» Tessa Thompson went 3-for-6 with one RBI, while Jordan Pietrzykoski went 3-for-7 with two runs scored.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME (ILL)
» The Fighting Illini took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout in the first inning, followed by a two-run second inning. Illinois scored its second-inning runs on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice bunt.
» Both teams combined for just six hits in the final five-and-a-half innings played before Illinois clinched its 3-0 shutout victory.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME (USF)
» Saint Francis jumped out to an early 3-0 lead behind an RBI double from Marsden and RBI singles from Wruble and Savannah Nash.
» South Florida responded to the early Red Flash lead with a four-run bottom of the first inning. A single, walk, groundout and two-run error, all with the bases loaded, led to the Bulls' runs. After two scoreless innings, South Florida added another two runs on a throwing error.
» In the fifth inning, Saint Francis tied the game 6-6 on a two-run Wruble single and Thompson singing bunt single.
» South Florida added one run on a groundout in the fifth inning and two more runs on a single and groundout in the sixth inning to open a 9-6 lead. Saint Francis had two runners on in the top of the seventh inning but could not score another run before the Bulls clinched their victory.

FLASH NUGGETS
» Saint Francis' 12 hits against South Florida are a season-high and its third double-digit effort of the season.
» Thompson finished the weekend 5-for-10 with two runs scored, one home run and five RBIs.
» Wruble went 7-for-15 with five runs scored and three RBIs during the weekend. She now leads Saint Francis with a .300 batting average and .354 on-base percentage this season.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis concludes its road games of the spring break period with a doubleheader at Towson on Wednesday, March 15 at 1 p.m.