Apr. 4, 2009
Red Flash Win Game 1 Thriller, Sweep Sacred Heart in Home Opening Doubleheader
LORETTO, Pa. – Freshman Megan Layne (Vallegjo, Calif. / Rodriguez) entered two games in relief and pitched strongly in both outings to lead the Saint Francis softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Sacred Heart, 8-7 and 5-2, in the team’s home opener on Saturday afternoon at Red Flash Softball Field.
Layne pitched 1.2 perfect innings in Game 1, and was the beneficiary of a three-run rally by SFU in the seventh inning of a thrilling 8-7 walk off victory.
Layne then entered in the second inning of Game 2, and gave up just one run and two hits in 5.2 innings of a 5-2 win.
Saint Francis improved to 15-18 overall with the wins, and 3-3 in the Northeast Conference. The Red Flash will play host to Fairleigh Dickinson in another NEC doubleheader, beginning at Noon on Sunday.
Sophomore Raquel Rugani (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour) was the hero in Game 1 after SFU fell behind 7-5 heading into the final frame. Saint Francis had taken advantage of three Pioneers errors to score five runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead.
However, Adrian Fitzsimon hit a grand slam to put Sacred Heart on the board, and Taylor Froelich added a two-run homer in a six-run fourth inning. Froelick added a solo home run in the sixth inning to give the Pioneers a 7-5 lead.
After scoring their five runs in the second inning, the SFU offense saw 15 straight hitters retired by SHU pitcher Jen Russell. But junior Janelle McCoy (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to spark a rally. The Red Flash then continued their rally without getting the ball out of the infield. Senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) hit a grounder to second base that looked to be a force out at second. However, the throw from Betsy Harvey pulled Alyssa Garza off the bag to put McCoy on second and Slingwine on first.
Saint Francis then worked the rest of its magic with two outs in the inning. McCoy then scored and Slingwine moved to third base when senior Kara Stroup (Valencia, Pa. / Mars) was safe on another throwing error. Junior Stephanie Griffin (Dupont, Pa. / Pittston Area) came in to run for Stroup and immediately stole second base. That’s when Rugani hit a soft dribbler toward second base. By hustling down the line, Rugani was able to beat out the grounder for a single as Slingwine and Griffin scored the tying and game-winning runs, respectively.
McCoy and junior Kelly Cortese (Coatesville, Pa. / Bishop Shanahan) had two hits each, while Stroup became SFU’s all-time leader in RBI with her 115th during the game. Layne struck out two in 1.2 perfect innings to earn the win.
The Pioneers took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning of Game 2, but the Red Flash answered with two runs in the second inning. Senior Nicole Waligora (Johnstown, Pa. / Westmont Hilltop) doubled and was pinch-ran for by freshman Katie McMellen (Kingsville, Ohio / Edgewood). She moved to third base on a single by freshman Paige Smith (Saugus, Calif. / Valencia). Smith stole second, and both came around to score on a sacrifice bunt by junior Christina Aulbach (York, Pa. / Dallastown Area).
Slingwine sparked a three-run rally in the third inning with a leadoff home run, her fourth of the season. Junior Jamie Dixon (Revloc, Pa. / Central Cambria) later slapped a two-run double to make it 5-1.
Froelick hit her third home run of the day to make it 5-2 in the seventh inning, but it was too little and too late as SFU secured win.
Layne gave up just one run and two hits while striking out three and walking one in 5.2 innings for her second win of the day. She improved to 8-3 on the season with by compiling a 0.95 ERA and five strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work.
Waligora went 3-for-3 and Dixon was 2-for-3 with two RBI.