Tucson, AZ -- Sophomore
Abby Trahan (Kaplan, La./Kaplan) threw an impressive complete-game but the Saint Francis Softball team fell 1-0 against No. 1 seed Arizona on Friday at the Tucson Regional. The Wildcats broke a scoreless tie with a homer in the fourth inning. The Red Flash dropped to 39-18 on the season, while Arizona improved to 41-14.
Saint Francis snapped a 19-game win streak, the longest win streak in Division I entering the NCAA Tournament.
The Red Flash continues NCAA Regional play on Saturday against No. 2 seed Mississippi State. Saint Francis will meet the Bulldogs for a 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. MT) contest. The winner will play again at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT) against the loser of the Arizona-North Dakota State matchup.
Trahan held one of the top offenses in the nation in check with a stellar performance. The sophomore allowed just one run on two hits, while striking out one and walking one. Trahan did not allow more than one baserunner in any inning and retired 15 of the final 16 batters she faced, including eight straight after giving up a homer in the fourth.
Saint Francis is one of only five teams to hold Arizona to two or less hits in a game this season. SFU is also one of 12 teams to hold the Wildcats to one or less run.
Arizona's Taylor McQuillin threw a complete-game of her own. The junior gave up four hits, while striking out eight and walking four.
The Red Flash collected four hits.
Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) had a single and a walk, while
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois),
Jordan Seneca(Plum, Pa./Plum) and
Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) each contributed singles.
The Wildcats had one run on two hits. Jessie Harper hit her 18th homer of the season, while Alyssa Palomino added a single.
After only getting one hit through the first three innings, Arizona got on the board in the fourth. With one out, Harper lasered a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The Red Flash threatened to score in the top of the fifth. With two outs,
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) and Norton drew back-to-back walks.
Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton) hit a blooper to right that landed foul by a foot on a ball that could have scored a run. However, a strikeout ended the inning to keep the deficit at 1-0.
Saint Francis got leadoff singles in the second and sixth innings. In the second, Seneca landed a single in center.
Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) replaced Seneca at first after a fielder's choice, but a strikeout ended the inning. In the sixth,
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) hit a line drive to left-center for a single. However, the inning ended on a lineout-double play.
In the seventh inning, Troxell reached base with a one-out single up the middle. A line drive to right by
Jordan Frank (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) was caught to keep pinch-runner
Brittney Crawford (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) at first. A groundout finished the inning.