LORETTO, Pa. – The Sacred Heart University softball team suffered a pair of losses to Northeast Conference (NEC)- leading Saint Francis on Saturday afternoon in Loretto, Pa. The Red Flash took the opener 9-0 before coming back in the nightcap for a 10-6 victory. 

Team Records:
Sacred Heart (17-21, 9-4 NEC)
Saint Francis (27-11, 14-0 NEC)  

Game 1: SFU 9, SHU 0 (5 inn.)
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) – (L, 3.2 innings pitched, 4 earned run, 3 strikeouts, 7-9 record)
Genevieve Gleason (SHU) – (1.0 innings pitched, 0 earned run)
Grace Vesco (SFU) – (W, 4.0 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 12-6 record)
Allie Braly (SFU) – (1.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run)

Top Performers:
Charlene Davis (SHU) – 1-2, 1 double
Cierra Bender (SHU) – 1-2, 1 double

Of Note:
The Red Flash took the opener on the strength of three home runs. 

SHU finished game one with four hits, highlighted by doubles from Charlene Davis and Cierra Bender. Unfortunately for the Pios, those extra-base hits did not lead to runs, as Saint Francis opened the doubleheader with a win. 

Emily Heath started for SHU, went 3.2 innings, and struck out three SFU batters. Genevieve Gleason entered in relief and got the Pioneers' final out of the game. 

Game 2: SFU 10, SHU 6
Pitchers:
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 10 earned runs, 10 strikeouts, 10-9 record)
Rachel Marsden (SFU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 5 strikeouts, 13-5 record)

Top Performers:
Jenna Mowad (SHU) – 2-3, 2 RBIs, 1 run, 1 home run
Victoria LoPinto (SHU) – 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 home run
Sam Kowalski (SHU) – 2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI

Of Note:
Victoria LoPinto wasted no time putting the Pioneers up in game two, sending a leadoff homer over the center-field fence in the top of the first. Three at-bats later, Sam Kowalski gave the Pios a 2-0 advantage with an RBI single. 

After the Red Flash scored one run in the bottom of the first, the Pioneers widened their lead with a four-run fourth inning. Carly Koltko started the frame with a leadoff double, which led to a Cayla Nista run after the junior pinch ran for Koltko. An error led to the next SHU score before Jenna Mowad blasted a two-run shot to center to make it a 6-1 Pioneers' lead. 

Unfortunately for Sacred Heart, the pop in the Red Flash's bats returned as the home team hit five home runs over the next three innings. With three homers in the sixth, SFU stormed out to a 10-6 lead, shutting out the Pios in the top of the seventh to secure a comeback victory. 

Kowalski threw all 6.0 innings for the Pioneers, striking out 10 Red Flash batters. 

Up Next:
The final game of this weekend's series between SHU and SFU will take place tomorrow at noon in Loretto, Pa.