LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University softball defeated Central Connecticut 6-4 in its opening game of the 2024 Northeast Conference tournament after a four-run rally in the fifth inning.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Rachel Marsden (19-5) went a complete seven innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits with five walks and four strikeouts. She added one hit, one walk and one RBI.
» Lexi Hernandez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, two runs scored and two RBIs.  
» Olivia Ulam went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
» Eight different Red Flash recorded at least one hit in the game. 
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME
» Central Connecticut opened the scoring in the first inning on a Marsden wild pitch that gave the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead. Hernandez tied the game back up with a solo home run in the second inning.
» The Blue Devils opened a three-run lead in the top of the third behind a solo home run, bases loaded walk and sacrifice fly that opened a 4-1 lead.
» Saint Francis responded in the fifth inning when the Red Flash loaded the bases with no outs. Hernandez and Marsden hit back-to-back singles that cut the deficit to 4-3.
» Annabelle Farmer followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game before Hernandez and Marsden executed a double steal for a 5-4 lead.
» Saint Francis padded its lead in the sixth inning when Farmer drove home Savannah Nash with a single and opened a 6-4 lead.
» Central Connecticut had one runner on base in the seventh inning before Marsden retired the final batter to clinch the victory.
 
FLASH NUGGETS
» Saint Francis won its opening game of the NEC Tournament for the seventh time in the last eight postseason tournaments.
» Marsden is now tied for fourth in single-season program history with 19 victories this season.
» Hernandez tied Nash for the team lead with her seventh home run of the season. She also raised her RBI total to 30.
» In all-four games so far this season against Central Connecticut, Ulam recorded two hits.

UP NEXT
Saint Francis will play the winner of No. 2 LIU and No. 3 Sacred Heart at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 10.