CROWN POINT, Ind. -- After finding a way to stave off elimination three times Friday, the University of St. Francis softball team took to the field two more times on Saturday afternoon trying to keep its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) postseason hopes alive. St. Francis got just enough offense to defeat Roosevelt University 3-2 in game one of the day. The Saints, however, were unable to keep that momentum in game two, being shutout for just the second time on the year with their 2-0 setback in an elimination game against Olivet Nazarene University.
Hannah Vachon (JR/Oxford, Mich.) was excellent inside the circle all day for the Fighting Saints. The junior threw a total of 13 innings allowing just four runs, while striking out eight.
Brittany Osborne (SO/Romeoville, Ill.) was the standout offensively against Roosevelt going 3-4 with two runs scored. St. Francis struggled offensively in game two, picking up just five hits in the contest.
Game 1 --- USF 3, Roosevelt 2
The Saints got the scoring started in the opening frame. With one out, Osborne singled to right-center field. She then raced around to score on a Danielle Callahan (JR/New Lenox, Ill.) double to make it 1-0. Roosevelt quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning, picking up a run on two hits. The Lakers then made it a 2-1 game with a run in the second.
St. Francis gave Vachon all the run support she would need in the third inning, fighting back with two runs. It was Osborne again with a single to get the offense going. Two walks, a single and a fielder's choice followed, allowing the Saints to open the 3-2 lead.
Vachon cruised through the final four innings, allowing just one runner to reach second base, while preserving the 3-2 win to advance to the elimination bracket final against Olivet Nazarene.
Game 2 --- Olivet Nazarene 2, USF 0
The matchup with Olivet Nazarene was the sixth game in just three days for the Saints. Olivet got what proved to be all the offense it would need with single runs in both the first and fifth innings.
The biggest offensive threat for St. Francis came in the fourth inning when runners reached first and second base with only one out. A groundout moved them to second and third base, but the Tigers were able to escape the trouble by getting a lineout to short to close out the inning.
Kayla Garcia (GR/Chicago, Ill.) and Maddie Massaro (SO/Romeoville, Ill.) accounted for four of USF's five hits with two apiece.
With the loss, St. Francis was eliminated from the CCAC Tournament and finished the 2021 season with a record of 25-15 overall and 11-11 in the league play.
