LYNCHBURG, Va. – Saint Francis University softball began the Liberty Softball Classic with a 2-0 loss to Penn State and 4-0 loss to Liberty.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Grace Vesco (4-1) went a complete 6.0 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
» Rachel Marsden (4-2) went a complete 6.0 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
» Ashley Orischak hit .500, earned one walk and was hit by two pitches to carry a .800 on-base percentage. She also went 1-for-1 in stolen base attempts.
» Ashley Wruble (2-for-7) was the only Red Flash player to record two hits in the games combined.
 
TURNING POINTS OF GAME ONE
» After two scoreless innings, Saint Francis loaded the bases in the top of the third inning with one out before a rain delay that lasted over two hours.
» Out of the delay, Penn State made a pitching change and escaped the jam with the final two outs produced by the infield. The Nittany Lions had two runners on in the bottom half and Vesco got an infield pop-up to end the third.
» In the fourth inning, Penn State broke through with the first run on a wild pitch. Vesco limited the damage to the one run after she stranded runners on second and third.
» Penn State loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning before Vesco produced two outs in a row. The Nittany Lions broke through for a 2-0 lead after a wild pitch.
» Saint Francis loaded the bases in the seventh inning with two outs, but Penn State pitcher Bridget Nemeth escaped the jam to clinch Penn State's victory.
 
TURNING POINTS OF GAME TWO
» Liberty struck first on a throwing error in the first inning, but Marsden limited the damage to just the one run.
» The Flames followed their first-inning effort with two runs in the second behind back-to-back RBI doubles that extended the lead to 3-0.
» Marsden then retired 11 straight batters in a row before Liberty broke through again in the sixth. With runners on second and third with no outs, the Flames added one more run on a sacrifice fly.
» With Saint Francis unable to score in the seventh, Liberty clinched its victory.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
» Orischak now ranks second on the team with a .407 on-base percentage. She is also one of three Red Flash players with a triple this season.
» Friday marked the second time Vesco held a Power Five opponent to one earned run. She allowed one earned run on seven hits in 5.0 innings at Pitt on March 6, 2022.
» Saint Francis has held Penn State to two or fewer runs in six of the last nine meetings since 2017.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis is set for two more games at the Liberty Softball Classic on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. against Penn and 12 p.m. against Liberty.