CANTON, Mo. --- Nine solid innings of relief pitching from Madisen Tucker (St. John, Ind.) and a 20-hit attack on the first day outside enabled the University of St. Francis softball team to register a pair of 7-5 victories over Culver-Stockton College (Mo.) on Opening Day, 2021 on Wednesday.
 

The Saints had to rally twice on the day, falling behind 5-2 in the opener and 3-1 in the nightcap to claim the sweep. USF also needed a single run in the top of the seventh inning to force extra innings in the opener.
 

Tucker was credited with both victories on the mound, while also going 3-for-9 with a pair of runs batted in at the plate. Newcomer Carlie Benes (JR/Valparaiso, Neb.), and Kayla Garcia (SR/Chicago, Ill.) also made up Wednesday's three-hit club.
 

Game 1 --- USF 7, Culver-Stockton 5 --- 8 Innings

Besides delivering 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief pitching, Tucker (1-0) helped her own cause with both an RBI single and a run-producing double in back-to-back two-run innings, which still were not enough to offset Culver-Stockton's five-run fourth inning. 
 

An error to begin the seventh inning by the hosts, however, opened the door for USF. Christina Lorenzatti (Beecher, Ill.) made the Wildcats pay with her second run-producing hit of the game in her collegiate debut to force extra innings.
 

Danielle Callahan's (JR/New Lenox, Ill.) two-run single to center field in the eighth inning capped off the comeback win. Bridget McDermott (Palos Heights, Ill.), who came on for Tucker, saved the contest with an inning-ending double play.
 

Game 2 --- USF 7, Culver-Stockton 5

Both team scored early and often resulting in a 5-5 tie after three innings with McDermott's grand slam in the third inning accounting for four of USF's first five runs.
 

Tucker (2-0) again settled things down with five more innings of relief in the nightcap, permitting just one run. 
 

Garcia, who drove in a run in the opener with a double, plated two more runs in the nightcap, including the game-winner on a home run to lead off the fifth inning. She finished the day 3-for-5 with all three hits going for extra bases and producing three runs.
 

Maddie Massaro (SO/Romeoville, Ill.) added an insurance run with her single three batters after Garcia as part of a two-hit game for her.
 

The Saints head south this weekend when they travel to Owensboro, Ky. on Saturday to face Brescia University in a 1 pm doubleheader.