WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saint Francis softball dropped its first two games of the Cal Baptist Invitational against Utah State and Cal Baptist on Friday afternoon at John C. Funk Stadium in Riverside, California.
TURNING POINT OF THE GAME
In Game 1, despite the Red Flash erasing a three-run deficit and freshman Ella Zoss’s stellar performance of more than seven innings, the Aggies capitalized on a sacrifice bunt and a fielder’s choice to win the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. The turning point of Game 2 came in the bottom of the third inning when the Lancers broke the stalemate with a line drive to right field, putting Cal Baptist up 2-1. Despite strong attempts to rally in the top of the seventh inning, the Red Flash were unable to convert.
FLASH MOMENTS
Saint Francis has been no stranger to the long ball this season, hitting five home runs in its last seven games. The Red Flash bats came alive in the top of the fourth inning, as sophomore Sofia Zielinski launched her second home run of the year to deep right field, helping Saint Francis cut the Aggies’ lead to 2-1. The long ball continued in Game 1 when, in the top of the sixth inning, sophomore Morgan Pasternak hit her second career home run over the wall in deep left-center field, tying the game at 4-4.
Pasternak picked up where she left off in Game 2, doubling into the gap in left-center to drive in her eighth RBI of the season, tying the game at 1-1. The bats woke up one last time in the top of the seventh inning when junior Marianne Labelle singled, bringing in freshman Sophia Rabatin and chipping away at the Lancers’ 6-2 lead. Two at-bats later, Zielinski hit a cue shot that drove in junior Aliya Garroway, cutting the Cal Baptist lead to 6-3.
ON DECK
The Red Flash is back in action Saturday, Feb.14, as it continues play in the Cal Baptist Invitational. Game 1 is scheduled for a 5 p.m. EST first pitch at John C. Funk Stadium in Riverside, California.
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