ATLANTA – Saint Francis University softball took a split in its first games of the 2023 season with a 2-1 extra-inning win over UIC and 8-0 five-inning loss to North Texas.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
» Grace Vesco (1-0) went a complete eight innings and allowed one run on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts against UIC.
» Rachel Marsden (0-1) allowed six runs, four earned, on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in three innings against North Texas. At the plate her hit in the eighth inning led to the game-winning run against UIC.
» Jordan Pietrzykoski went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, one walk and was hit by a pitch. She scored the game-winning run against UIC.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME vs. UNT
» North Texas was on the board in the first inning with an RBI groundout from Tatum Sparks. After a Marsden throwing error with two outs, the Mean Green added two more runs on a single up the middle and throwing home error.
» The Mean Green added two more runs on a Kalei Christensen doubles in the second inning and one more run on a Molly Rainey home run in the fourth.
» North Texas clinched its early 8-0 victory with a two-run double with one out in the fifth inning.
 
TURNING POINTS OF THE GAME vs. UIC
» The Flames scored first after Dee Dee Caskey walked, stole second and third, and was driven in by a groundout to shortstop in the first inning.
» Both teams were held scoreless until the fifth inning when Saint Francis loaded the bases off an error, catcher's interference and hit batter. Ulam drove in Savannah Nash with the bases loaded and tied the game 1-1.
» UIC produced two base runners in the seventh inning and Saint Francis produced one before the game went to extra innings.
» After the Flames were held off the board in the eighth inning, Marsden produced a single and Pietrzykoski scored on an error on the play for the game-winning run.

FLASH NUGGETS
» With nine strikeouts Vesco moved her career total to 410, which is five shy of tying Megan Layne for fourth in program history. She earned the 42nd win of her career, which is tied for fifth in program history.
» Five Red Flash players, Annabelle Farmer, Savannah Nash, Elliott Sanders, Brianna Sawyers and Tessa Thompson all made their collegiate debut.
» Sawyers had her first collegiate hit against North Texas, while Nash scored her first collegiate run against UIC.

UP NEXT
After a change was made to the Saturday Buzz Classic schedule, Saint Francis will face UIC at 8 a.m. and Georgia Tech at 1 p.m.