LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University softball is headed to the Liberty Softball Classic from Feb. 23-25 where the Red Flash will face Liberty twice, Morgan State, Penn and Penn State.
 
Saint Francis Quick Hits
» Olivia Ulam earned her first Northeast Conference Player of the Week selection on Feb. 20. She hit .438 with a team-high seven runs scored and three doubles at the Wofford Invitational. She is tied for fifth in the NCAA Division I with six doubles and is just two shy of tying her career-high mark.
» Rachel Marsden was named NEC Pitcher of the Week and the two-way star is top-three in the NEC in runs scored (eight), triples (two), RBIs (seven), ERA (0.75), wins (four), strikeouts (24) and batting average against (.134). Her 12.0 strikeouts-to-walk ratio is tied for 28th in Division I.
» Grace Vesco paces the NEC with 26 strikeouts and a .118 batting average against and is third with a 0.97 ERA. She carries a perfect 4-0 record with one shutout.
» Savannah Nash leads Saint Francis with a .344 batting average and 11 RBIs. She adds seven runs scored, three doubles and one triple.
» Saint Francis' 9-1 start to the season matches the best 10-game start in program history. 
» Saint Francis ranks 13th in Division I with a 1.06 team ERA.


Last Time Out
Saint Francis went 5-0 at the Wofford Invitational, outscored its opponents 37-3 and ended the weekend with three shutout victories in a row. Saint Francis started the weekend with its first run-rule victory of the season 16-2 over Rhode Island. Nine different Red Flash players recorded a hit and six players recorded at least two. Saint Francis followed with a 5-1 victory over Wofford. On Saturday, Saint Francis won a 1-0 game against Northern Kentucky behind a three-hit effort on the mound by Marsden and RBI double from Ulam. Saint Francis then earned its second run-rule victory over Rhode Island, 11-0. Pitcher Olivia Kolowitz earned the first win and shutout of her collegiate career in the game. As the No. 1 seed in the tournament weekend, Saint Francis defeated Wofford in the championship game 4-0 on Sunday. The Red Flash ended the weekend with 22-straight scoreless innings. 
 
Scouting Liberty
The Flames hold a 2-7 record with victories over Coastal Carolina and St. John's. Liberty lost two of its games in rule-rule fashion and has played two ranks opponents this season. Rachel Roupe leads the team with a .500 batting average, five runs scored, two doubles, one triple, two home runs and five RBIs. She has walked three times with no strikeouts to carry a .567 on-base percentage. She is the only Flames' player hitting over .250 to start the year. Elena Escobar leads the pitching staff with a 1.12 ERA and 2-0 record with four walks and 22 strikeouts in 25.0 innings pitched. Liberty was selected first in the 2024 Conference USA Preseason Poll.
 
Scouting Morgan State
The Bears hold a 6-0 record with all-six games against NCAA Division II members. Morgan Sate won four of its games by run-rule and outscored opponents 48-2. Its first weekend against Division I opponents Feb. 17-18 was canceled. Chandler Mitchell went 6-for-6 with eight runs scored, one double, one triple and three walks for a perfect 1.000 on-base percentage. Victories Fletcher led the program with two home runs, while Mia Ewell added eight RBIs. Anaya Hunte and Ellie Bostedt each allowed no earned runs in 8.0 innings pitched with double-digit strikeouts. Morgan State was selected to finish first in the MEAC Preseason Poll.
 
Scouting Penn
The Quakers open their 2024 season at the Liberty Softball Classic after an 8-37 record last season. Dana Anderson returns a team-high .301 batting average, while Sammy Fenton returns 21 RBIs. Kelly Zybura leads the pitching staff returning four wins, nine complete games and 48 strikeouts in 128.0 innings pitched. Penn was selected eighth out of eight teams in the Ivy League Preseason Poll.
 
Scouting Penn State
The Nittany Lions hold a perfect 7-0 record and received votes in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Coaches Poll. A 3-2 victory in extra innings over then-No. 16 Arkansas headlines Penn State's start to the season. Gaby Garcia leads the program with a .467 batting average, four doubles, one home run and eight RBIs. She carries a .636 on-base percentage that ranks tied for 25th in Division I. Emily Maddock adds a .409 batting average, while Haylie Brunson's .391 average is the only other qualified player over .300. Bidget Nemeth leads the pitching staff with a 0.74 ERA, 5-0 record, .196 batting average against, four walks and 28 strikeouts in 28.1 innings pitched.
 
All-Time vs. Liberty
Saint Francis holds a 5-1 record over Liberty since the first meeting in 1998. The Red Flash are on a current four-game winning streak in the series and won the last meeting 9-4 in 2017. During the last meeting, Jordan Seneca hit a then-program-record for career home runs with a grand slam.
 
All-Time vs. Morgan State
Saint Francis holds a 5-0 record over Morgan State since the first meeting in 2008. The Red Flash won the last two games in run-rule fashion during the 2014 season. The Red Flash have outscored the Bears 35-7.
 
All-Time vs. Penn
Saint Francis and Penn will face off for the first time in program history. Penn is Saint Francis' only Ivy opponent this season, while Saint Francis is Penn's only NEC opponent.
 
All-Time vs. Penn State
Penn State holds a 37-9 record over Saint Francis since the first meeting in 1990. The Nittany Lions won the last two games in 2022 and 2023 after Saint Francis won a 17-13 thriller in 2019. Saint Francis is 5-3 against Penn State since 2017.

Next
Saint Francis starts a 10-game stretch in Arkansas March 2-3 at the Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic hosted by Central Arkansas.