JOLIET, Ill. --- Clutch pitching, timely hitting and a strong defense against a fierce wind all spelled out a doubleheader sweep of St. Ambrose University for the University of St. Francis softball team on Tuesday night at the Harlow Lockwood Softball Complex. The Saints opened with a 2-0 shutout before claiming a 7-2 win in the nightcap.

Bridget McDermott and Hannah Vachon combined to keep St. Ambrose out of rhythm all night long, allowing just seven hits in their 14 innings of work in the circle.  McDermott saw action in both contests, coming away with a victory and a save.

Offensively, the Saints (16-8, 6-2 CCAC) built 2-0 leads after two innings in both contests with McDermott and Brittany Osborne providing hit support in both contests.  Osborne registered four hits – three for extra bases – and three runs over the two games, while McDermott went 3-for-6.

St. Ambrose had entered the day with a 23-6 overall record and a 7-3 mark in the league.

Game 1: USF 2, St. Ambrose 0
McDermott (10-1) permitted a season low two hits in recording her fourth shutout of the season. Both hits came over the first three innings. She closed out the game retiring ten of the final 11 batters she faced and struck out seven batters against two walks in the outing.

The Saints manufactured the only run they needed in the first inning. Osborne opened with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice and third on a wild pitch before Danielle Callahan drove her in on a groundout.

USF's second run came across the plate on a Kenna Kleinert double in the second inning.

Osborne, McDermott, and Madisen Tucker each had a pair of hits for St. Francis.

Game 2: USF 7, St. Ambrose 2
Five of USF's seven hits went for extra bases, all of which either drove in runs or eventually came home to score. Included were a pair of triples from Osborne, who also had a
double in the opener.

Maddie Eckberg (2-for-2) drove in two of the runs with a double and a single. Gracyn Gabriel, Maddie Massaro, and Osborne (2-for-4, 2 runs) were also credited with runs batted in.

The Saints built an initial 4-0 lead after four innings with two runs in the second inning and single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. After going the first 12 innings without scoring, St. Ambrose cut the deficit in half with a two-run sixth inning only to have Amanda Jensen's club offset that with a three run bottom half of the inning.

Vachon (4-5) went the first 5 1/3 innings before giving way to Osborne, who registered three of her five outs on strikeouts. Vachon set down five batters on strikeouts earlier in the contest.

For McDermott, it was her first save of the season.   

Up Next
The Saints host Roosevelt University in a doubleheader on Thursday, which is a make-up for their lost set of games on April 3.

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