OWENSBORO, Ky. --- A big first day offensively featuring five players with no less than three hits each propelled the University of St. Francis softball team to 8-0 and 12-7 victories over Brescia University (Ky.) Saturday afternoon at Kamuf Park.

Brittany Osborne and Bridget McDermott led the attack with four hits each with Osborne driving home four runs and McDermott three.  The three-hit club featured Danielle Callahan (3 RBI), Gracyn Gabriel (2 RBI) and Kaylie Sippel (RBI).

In all, the Saints produced 19 hits on the day, including 12 in the nightcap.

Hannah Vachon opened up her senior campaign on a solid first note, gaining the win in each end of the doubleheader.

Game 1: USF 8, Brescia 0
The Saints wasted little time in scoring their first runs of the season with Gabriel hitting a two-run home run two batters into the game and McDermott tacking on two more four batters later with a double.

USF made quick work of Brescia with Osborne driving in two more runs on a triple in a three-run third inning and another run on a single in the fifth inning to invoke the eight-run rule.

McDermott finished the contest a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, while Osborne was 3-for-4 with the three runs batted in.  Gabriel and Sippel each collected two hits.

Vachon went the first four innings, allowing just one hit and two walks, while striking out eight batters.  Jordan Closs posted one clean inning to finish things off.

Game 2: USF 12, Brescia 7
The Saints took full advantage of Brescia's nine errors in Game 2 with eight of their 12 runs being unearned.

Like it did in the opener, USF jumped out on top in the first inning with three runs, including two on RBI singles from Callahan and McDermott.  Callahan also homered in the sixth inning to finish the contest going 2-for-4 with four runs scored and three driven in.

Osborne and Sippel also drove in one run each on sacrifice flies.

Unlike Game 1, Brescia (0-4) did not go down easily in Game 2, rallying for five runs in the third inning to tie the contest at six-all.  USF countered with six of the final seven runs, scoring twice in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Vachon worked another five innings in Game 2, this time in relief to gain her second win of the day.

Notes: Rose Mwaro, Kara Kleinert, Zoe Ditter and Closs all made their debuts as Saints on the day … St. Francis wraps up the weekend down south on Sunday when it faces Indiana University Southeast in a doubleheader beginning at noon Central time.

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