Tucson, AZ -- The Saint Francis Softball team concluded an incredible 2018 season on Saturday at the Tucson Regional. The Red Flash fell 11-5 against No. 2 seed Mississippi State. Saint Francis tied the game at 5-5 in the fifth inning, but the Bulldogs re-took the lead in the sixth. The Red Flash finished the season with a 39-19 record.
The historic season included the Red Flash repeating as NEC Champions by going undefeated against conference opponents for the second straight season. SFU went 16-0 in NEC regular season games and won all three NEC Tournament games to extend its NEC win streak to 38 games, the longest active streak and the fourth-longest in NCAA Division I history. The Red Flash finished the regular season with 83 home runs, a program and NEC record, to lead Division I.
Adrian Smith (Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) went 5.2 innings in relief, allowing seven runs on 11 hits with a strikeout. Smith helped to keep the Red Flash in the game with scoreless fourth and fifth innings.
Abby Trahan (Kaplan, La./Kaplan) started in the circle for the Red Flash. The sophomore went 1.1 innings, giving up four runs on six hits.
Cassady Knudsen started for the Bulldogs. She went five innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits. Knudsen walked five batters and struck out four. Holly Ward threw two perfect innings in relief.
The Red Flash scored five runs and five hits.
Taylor Hoover (Phillipsburg, Ohio/Northmont) and
Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, Ohio/Perry) both had clutch hits for SFU. Hoover drove in two runs with a triple, while Troxell's two-run single tied the game in the fifth.
Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, Pa./Williamsport) contributed an RBI single, while
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) had a double and a run.
Mississippi State plated 11 runs on 17 hits. Sarai Niu drove in five runs, with three hits, including a homer and a double. Carmen Carter went four-for-four with a double and a home to drive in three runs. Emily Heimberger and Bevia Robinson each had two hits, including a triple. Kat Moore collected three hits.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the top of the first. Moore led off the inning by beating out an infield single. A grounder moved Moore to second before Niu send a line drive to the gap in right center for an RBI double to drive in Moore.
The Red Flash threatened to score in the bottom half of the inning.
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) started the inning with a walk before a groundout by
Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) pushed her to second. On a pickoff attempt by the catcher, a wild throw allowed McKee to go to third.
Madison Cabell (Ivor, Va./Southampton) then fought through a nine-pitch at-bat to draw a walk. Cabell stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the inning to keep MSU's 1-0 lead.
Mississippi State added three runs in the second. Carter started the inning with a double to left. Two batters later, Robinson sent a line drive to right that went just over the glove of
Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) for a triple. A single up the middle by Moore plated Robinson. After a single by Mia Davidson, Niu singled to left to score Moore, but
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) fired to the plate to cut down Davidson at home. The Bulldogs held a 4-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs drove in a run in the third. Heimberger reached on a one-out single to left and stole second before scoring on a single to center by Carter. MSU extended its lead to 5-0.
The Red Flash answered with three runs in the fourth.
Sierra McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) lined a double to center to start the inning. Two batters later, Troxell reached on an error. Hoover roped one to the wall for a triple, which allowed McKee and Troxell to cross the plate. Bower sent a single into left to drive in Hoover to cut the deficit to 5-3 after four innings.
Saint Francis tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth.
Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, Pa./DuBois) drew another leadoff walk. A walk by Cabell and another free pass drawn by
Jordan Seneca (Plum, Pa./Plum) loaded the bases with two outs. Troxell grounded a 3-2 pitch up the middle to drive in McKee and Cabell. A popout ended the inning with the game even at 5-5.
Mississippi State re-took the lead with six runs in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Niu broke the tie with a three-run homer to left-center. After a single by Reggie Harrison, Heimberger drove a triple to center to plate Harrison. Carter followed with a line drive over the wall in left to give the Bulldogs an 11-5 lead.