TUCSON --- The University of St. Francis softball team came within two outs of gaining a sweep on the first day of its annual Arizona trip Sunday, but had to settle for a split after
Hailey Enriquez delivered a walk off two run triple in Dickinson State University's 5-4 nightcap win. Earlier in the day, the Saints rallied for a 9-4 victory over William Penn University (Iowa).
Dickinson State (5-5) came into the season among others receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Poll.
Bridget McDermott had a big day for the Saints (4-2). On the mound, she improved to 3-0, while at the plate, she delivered three hits in each end of the twinbill.
Game 1: USF 9, William Penn 4
After a 15 day layoff, the Saints got off to a shaky start allowing three runs (two unearned) without the aid of a hit in the top of the first inning. Three walks and an error set up the big inning for the Statesman (0-5) before USF got on track.
Gracyn Gabriel got one of those runs back in the second inning with a triple and followed that up with a run scoring double in a two-run fourth inning to put USF up for good. Between the fourth and sixth innings, the Saints totaled eight runs to put the game out of reach.
Danielle Callahan delivered the big blow with a two run home run in a three run fifth inning. She provided another RBI single in the sixth inning just after
Maddie Massaro drove home two runs with a triple of her own.
Callahan joined McDermott with three hits apiece. Massaro, Gabriel, and
Kaylie Sippel all collected a pair of hits in USF's 13 hit attack.
McDermott worked the final three innings in the circle to gain the victory. She allowed one unearned run, while striking out four opposite one walk and four hits.
Game 2: Dickinson State 5, USF 4
Dickinson State had the final say in a battle that saw the lead change hands three separate times with Enriquez delivering the final blow with her two run triple with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Maddie Eckberg (2-for-3) made Dickinson State pay for back-to-back errors in the second inning when she provided a two out, two run single through the left side to put the Saints up 2-0. The Hawks answered by scoring their first three runs after two were out with one run in the third inning and two more in the fourth inning.
St. Francis then put together a little of its own two-out magic with RBI singles from McDermott (3-for-4) and Sippel (2-for-3) in the top of the fifth inning to regain the lead 4-3. That advantage held until the seventh inning when Dickinson State put together back-to-back singles with one out to set the stage for Enriquez.
Callahan (2-for-4) joined McDermott, Sippel and Eckberg with multiple hits in the contest. The first three had at least two hits in both ends of the doubleheader.
Hannah Vachon (1-2) took the loss.
Up Next
The Saints face University of Jamestown (ND) and Dakota Wesleyan University (SD) in a split doubleheader on Monday.
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