SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Saint Francis University softball earned two shutout victories 11-0 in five innings against Rhode Island and 1-0 against Northern Kentucky.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Rachel Marsden (4-1) went a complete 7.0 innings and allowed no runs on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts against Northern Kentucky. She went 4-for-7 with one run scored and one RBI.
» Olivia Kolowitz (1-0) earned the win over Rhode Island with no runs on five hits with two walks in 5.0 innings pitched.
» Olivia Ulam went 3-for-7 with two runs scored, two doubles and one RBI.
» Lexi Hernandez went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
» Savannah Nash had a team-high three RBIs and two runs scored on the day.
 
TURNING POINTS OF GAME ONE
» With two outs in the second inning, Saint Francis loaded the bases with three straight singles but could not push a run across.
» Northern Kentucky had its most dangerous chance in the third when the first two batters reached on an error and infield single. Marsden responded with two strikeouts around forcing an infield fly.
» Next turn at-bat for the Red Flash in the third, Kaylie Walters led off with a double and Ulam drove her in two batters later with an RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
» Northern Kentucky produced just two baserunners in the final four innings, none advanced past second base, before Saint Francis earned the 1-0 shutout victory.
 
TURNING POINTS OF GAME TWO
» Saint Francis started the game with five runs in the first inning behind a two-run single from Nash, two-run single from Hernandez and sacrifice fly from Lauren Aubry.
» Nash and Aubry followed in the second inning with one RBI single each to open a 7-0 lead.
» After a scoreless third, The Red Flash added four more runs in the fourth inning behind two RBI singles and a two-run fielder's choice.
» Kolowitz shut the door in the fifth inning to clinch Saint Francis' second run-rule win over Rhode Island at the Wofford Invitational.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
» Marsden moved into sole possession of second in program history with 53 career wins. Marsden and Vesco hold the top-two spots in the career wins category. She earned the 16th shutout of her career in the win over Northern Kentucky.
» Kolowitz earned the first win and shutout of her collegiate career. She lowered her ERA to 2.86 through her first 7.1 collegiate innings.
» Nash tied a career-high with three RBIs against Rhode Island. She has a team-high nine RBIs to start the season.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis concludes the Wofford Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 12:30 p.m. against Wofford.