WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saint Francis softball drops its NEC home opener in a twin bill against the New Haven Chargers, losing 10-7 and 9-5 on Saturday, March 14, in Loretto, Pa., at Red Flash Softball Field. Both Sophomore Sofia Zielinski and Senior Annabelle Farmer capped the day with four hits.

FLASH MOMENTS FOR GAME ONE 
The Red Flash came out swinging, making an opening statement against their NEC foe with two home runs in the bottom of the first inning. The first, from junior Aliya Garroway, showcased her power with a deep shot to left center that put Saint Francis on the board, 1-0. The next shot came from Zielinski, who poked one just outside the opposite field fence, extending the Red Flash lead to 2-0.

The long-ball theme continued into the later frames; the third home run for the Red Flash came in the bottom of the fourth inning. This time, Farmer stepped up, crushing her first homer of the season well over the center field wall to give Saint Francis a 3-1 lead. Zielinski's bat struck again in the bottom of the fifth inning, launching her second of the game to deep right center, giving the Red Flash more breathing room with a 5-2 lead.

Saint Francis rounded out their six-home run game with two more in the bottom of the sixth inning to retake the lead after the Chargers woke up in the top of the same frame with a late-game four-run rally. Farmer hit her second home run of the game to deep left field, tying the score, while graduate student Emma Hicks smashed her first of the year to give Saint Francis a 7-6 lead.
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME ONE
The ultimate turning point of game one came in extra innings during the top of the eighth. In that frame, New Haven strung together a double to right field and a three-run home run to left field, retaking the lead, 10-7. Despite relying on the long ball throughout the game, the Red Flash were unable to capitalize on two crucial moments with the bases loaded in both the bottom of the sixth and eighth innings.

FLASH MOMENTS FOR GAME TWO  

Until the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Flash trailed the Chargers for most of the game. Despite the deficit, Saint Francis fought through adversity and made multiple attempts to score. The first breakthrough came in the bottom of the third inning, when Olivia Kolowitz hit her first home run of the day deep into left field, putting her team on the board at 2-1.

Saint Francis added its second run in the bottom of the fifth inning, when junior Marianne Labelle singled for her third RBI of the year, cutting the Chargers' lead to 5-2. The Red Flash's final push occurred in the bottom of the sixth, where Kolowitz belted her second home run of the game to tie the contest at 5-5.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME TWO   
The critical moment of the game came in the top half of the seventh inning, when the Chargers mounted a four-run rally to secure a 9-5 victory.

ON DECK  
The Red Flash softball team returns to action Sunday, March 15, hosting the New Haven Chargers in game three of their NEC home opener at Red Flash Softball Field in Loretto, Pennsylvania.