Apr. 26, 2009

Saint Francis Senior Day Spoiled By Long Island

LORETTO, Pa. – Long Island University scored two late runs to come out on top of a pitchers’ duel in Game 1, and then used a six-run fourth inning to take the nightcap, in a doubleheader sweep of the Saint Francis softball team on Sunday afternoon.

Senior Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) surrendered just one earned run in the first contest, but Blackbirds pitcher Blaire Porter struck out five in a one-hit, 2-0, shutout.

LIU, which clinched the Northeast Conference regular season title on Saturday, used a six-run fourth inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 7-2 lead in a 7-4 Game 2 victory to spoil SFU’s Senior Day.

The Red Flash fell to 21-28 overall, and 5-11 in the NEC, with the losses. LIU improved to 27-15 overall, and 17-1 in the league. SFU will wrap up its season with a doubleheader at Akron beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

The teams combined for three hits through the first five innings of Game 1 until Long Island finally broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth. The Blackbirds added an insurance run in the seventh inning.

The Red Flash had just one base runner in the game, which came on a single by senior Hilary McNelis (Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone) in the second inning.

Long Island took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of Game 2 before senior Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) gave the Red Flash their first lead of the day, 2-1, on a two-run home run to centerfield.

However, the Blackbirds offense broke out for six runs in the fourth inning to build a 7-2 lead. McNelis had an RBI double in the fourth inning, and Slingwine cut the lead to three with an RBI single in the seventh inning, but the Red Flash couldn’t get any closer.