SOUTH BEND --- Big scoring innings by Indiana University South Bend led to the University of St. Francis softball team suffering just its second doubleheader setback of the season when the Saints fell 6-2 and 8-6 on Sunday in a pair of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference contests.
The Titans (14-21, 7-11 CCAC) used a five-run fifth inning in the opener and both a four-run first inning and a three-run third inning in the nightcap to gain the sweep and extend their winning streak to four games.
The two losses overshadowed a strong day at the plate by third baseman Danielle Callahan (JR/New Lenox, Ill.), who went 5-for-7 with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
Game 1 --- Indiana South Bend 6, USF 2
Indiana South Bend broke a 1-1 deadlock with the five-run fifth inning. The Titans sandwiched four hits around one St. Francis error to begin the inning in eventually pulling away. The error led to two of the runs being unearned.
The hosts, who never trailed on the day, opened up a 1-0 lead in the first inning before second baseman Christina Lorenzatti's (FR/Beecher, Ill.) two-out single in the fourth inning tied the game at one-all.
USF's other run came in on a double off the bat of first baseman Kayla Garcia (GR/Chicago, Ill.).
Callahan, shortstop Brittany Osborne (SO/Romeoville, Ill.) and left fielder Bridget McDermott (SO/Palos Heights, Ill.) accounted for three-fourths of USF's eight hits with a pair each.
Starter Hannah Vachon (JR/Oxford, Mich.) (6-2) saw her five-game winning streak snapped in the circle.
Game 2 --- Indiana South Bend 8, USF 6
Seven of Indiana South Bend's eight runs came after two outs, including all of them in the first three innings when the Titans built a 7-1 advantage. The first four came on three hits and two walks after two were out. The latter three were fueled by an error, which kept the Saints from retiring the side in order in the third inning.
After falling behind 8-1 in the fifth inning, USF finally got the bats going in the last two innings when it collected seven of its nine hits to attempt a furious rally. Callahan's three-run double with two outs in the seventh inning made things interesting, putting the tying run at the plate before a strikeout ended the contest.
Center fielder Carlie Benes (JR/Valparaiso, Ind.) also drove in a run with her single earlier that inning, while Garcia provided a run-scoring double in the sixth inning.
USF's other RBI came on a groundout by Lorenzatti in the second inning.
McDermott took the loss to fall to 3-2 on the campaign.
The Saints (16-6, 6-4) are back home Monday night when they face Trinity Christian College in a doubleheader beginning at 5 pm.
