TUCSON, Ariz. --- The University of St. Francis softball team let a late-game lead slip away in a 4-3 setback to Concordia University (Neb.) before stealing a 4-3 win from University of Jamestown (ND) later in the day to gain a split of its two decisions on Thursday afternoon.

The Fighting Saints (8-4) led 3-2 heading into the last inning of the opener, while trailing 3-0 with just one out remaining in the nightcap before stringing together four straight hits to produce the four runs.  The split decision was the fourth in as many days for USF.

Brittany Osborne, who had one of the key hits in Game 2, led the team with three hits on the day.  Also collecting hits in each end of the twinbill were Madisen Tucker, Kenna Kleinert and Rose Mwaro.

Bridget McDermott (2-1) hung around until the exciting finish to win her second game of the season in the circle.

Game 1: Concordia 4, USF 3
The Saints jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on RBIs from Danielle Callahan (single) and Kaylie Sippel and led 3-1 after four innings.  They also had an opportunity to extend their 3-2 edge in the seventh inning when they put each of their first two batters on in the seventh inning.

That, however, did not materialize and the Bulldogs (9-9) rallied for the 4-3 win on a Caitlyn McGarvie one-out double to centerfield.

Callahan was the only St. Francis player to record multiple hits in the contest, going 2-for-4.

Game 2: USF 4, Jamestown 3
The Saints and Jamestown had a double no-hitter going through the first three innings and the contest remained scoreless for the next two innings before Jamestown (10-8) finally broke the ice in the sixth inning with a run.  The Jimmies had a golden opportunity to score one inning earlier when they had runners at second and third base with no outs and the bases loaded with two outs only to be stymied by McDermott.

Jamestown added a pair of insurance runs in the top half of the seventh inning before the Saints pulled off the surprising finish. 

Sippel and Tucker started the rally with back-to-back one-out singles before Kleinert's two-out, two-run single made it a 3-2 contest.  Mwaro kept the inning alive with her single and Osborne followed with a single of her own to knot the score up at thee-all.  Gracyn Gabriel then won it with the Saints' fourth straight hit and sixth of the inning – they had nine for the game – with her single.

Osborne and Sippel had a pair of hits each in the contest.  McDermott, meanwhile, held Jamestown to just four hits, while striking out two.

Notes: Callahan had her team-leading seventh multi-hit game of the season … Kleinert's two-RBI game was her second multiple-RBI contest of the campaign for her … The Saints face Siena Heights University (Mich.) at 10 am and York University (Neb.) at noon on Friday.

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