Northwestern scores 7 runs in third inning to defeat St. Francis
AUSTIN, Texas – The St. Francis University softball team fell in its opening game of the Austin Regional to Northwestern by a 7-2 margin Friday.
The Wildcats scored all seven of their runs during the third inning.
St. Francis right-hander Grace Vesco (19-8) went 2 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout. Rachel Marsden went 3 1/3 innings in relief and allowed one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
St. Francis freshman Kaylie Walters went 1-for-2 with one run scored and one walk. Ashley Orischak doubled, scored a run and drew two walks.
St. Francis started the scored inning when Walters drew a leadoff walk, followed by an Ashley Wruble sacrifice bunt. Walters scored after she took third on a wild pitch before taking home on another wild pitch for a 1-0 lead.
Vesco retired six straight Northwestern batters to begin the game before the Wildcats did all their damage in the third inning.
Northwestern broke through with a one-out, two-run single up the middle and took a 2-1 lead. The Wildcats furthered its lead with three consecutive walks that led to another run.
After Marsden replaced Vesco, Northwestern added two more runs on a single, followed by a two-run double for a 7-1 lead.
St. Francis added its second run when Orischak scored on a Walters single up the middle in the sixth inning.
Walters is now one walk shy of 45 this season, which would place her tied for second in program history.
Savannah Nash recorded one hit in the game and now has a knock in 16 of the past 17 games played.
St. Francis returns to the field at 3:30 p.m. Saturday to face Siena in the first elimination game of the Austin Regional.
