JOLIET, Ill. --- Scoring early and often, the University of St. Francis softball team extended its winning streak to a season-high six games with its 14-1 and 10-0 doubleheader sweep of Cardinal Stritch University in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference openers for both squads on Tuesday afternoon.

The Saints (15-5, 2-0 CCAC) had things well in hand after the first two innings of both contests, scoring all 14 of its first-game runs by that time and half of its ten in the nightcap.  And with Hannah Vachon on the mound in both games, that was more than enough run support for the senior, who ran her scoreless streak to 31 2/3 innings with five more unscored-upon frames.

Brittany Osborne and Danielle Callahan both drove in five runs on the day with Osborne cracking a grand slam and Callahan homering twice.

Game 1: USF 14, Cardinal Stritch 1
The Saints scored their first ten runs of the game before two outs into the contest with Callahan starting the scoring frenzy with her two-run home run.  Osborne added the grand slam in her second at bat of the opening inning as part of a five-RBI game for her.

Callahan matched her two-run home run in the first inning with another one in the second inning.

Callahan, Gracyn Gabriel, Kaylie Sippel and Madisen Tucker each provided two hits with Tucker also driving in a pair of runs.

Vachon tossed a scoreless first inning before giving way to Bridget McDermott (3-1), who pitched the middle three innings.  She struck out five batters and allowed just one hit and one run in that time.

Jordan Closs then wrapped things up with a three-strikeout fifth inning.

Game 2: USF 10, Cardinal Stritch 0
Osborne and Gabriel combined to go 7-for-8 at the top of the order with five of the ten runs scored in Game 2.  For Gabriel, it capped off a perfect 6-for-6 day at the plate for her.  Included among her hit count was a double and a triple on the day and two runs batted in in the second game.

Sippel and McDermott also drove in a pair of runs each.

Vachon (8-1) also started Game 2, where she went the first four innings, striking out eight against only one walk in the process.  Closs also wrapped up Game 2 with a scoreless fifth inning and adding one more strikeout to her count.

Notes: The Saints registered 11 extra-base hits among their 24 total for the afternoon, including five triples and three home runs.  The three home runs in Game 1 and the three triples in Game 2 were both club highs … Other season-highs on the day included Osborne's five runs batted in in Game 1 and Callahan's two home runs in the same contest … Osborne also extended her hitting streak to a team-best 11 games, while Maddie Massaro reached base in her 10th and 11th straight games with her hits in each contest … During USF's winning streak, Saint pitchers have allowed just three runs … Winners of eight of its last nine games, as well, St. Francis hosts Trinity International University on Thursday in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 pm.      

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