JOLIET, Ill. --- Emily Boyle's first collegiate victory in the circle enabled the University of St. Francis softball team to gain a split on the day as the Fighting Saints bounced back from a 5-4 eight-inning, first-game loss with a 6-2 Game 2 victory over Trinity Christian College in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday.

USF (19-11, 5-3 CCAC) put together a pair of rallies in the opener, the first one to force extra innings before coming up one run short in the eighth inning.  In the nightcap, Boyle (1-2) had a shutout going through 6 1/3 innings before tiring late.

Jaelynn Taylor recorded the most hits on the day for St. Francis with her four, including a home run in the opener.  Boyle, Kaylie Sippel and Isabella Landeros each notched another three.

Game 1: Trinity Christian 5, USF 4 --- 8 Innings
Both teams had chances to break the game open, but left a combined 19 runners on base, including two for St. Francis to end the game.

The two teams exchanged runs in the first inning with USF's coming on a Landeros two-out single to right centerfield.  Trinity Christian (17-17, 4-2) made it a 3-1 game with single runs in both the third and fourth innings.

Taylor and Landeros would tie the contest in a hurry in the sixth inning with back-to-back solo home runs to start the inning.  Kiersten Manning would follow with a double to put a runner in scoring position with no one out, but the Saints could not get the clutch hit they would need to take their first lead of the game.

A two-out rally in the top of the eighth inning regained the two-run edge for Trinity Christian, but the Saints would not go down easily.  After the first two batters were retired in order in the bottom half of the inning, USF gained new life with a throwing error.

A run-scoring single by Rose Mwaro followed by a walk had the tying run at second base, but the Saints did not have one more clutch hit in the bag with the game ending on a flyout to center field.

Taylor and Landeros were the big hitters in the middle of the order for St. Francis.  Taylor went 3-for-4 with the home run, while Landeros drove in two with a pair of hits.  Boyle added two other hits and a run scored.

Manning (12-4) struck out nine batters in her eight innings of work in the circle.  

Game 2: USF 6, Trinity Christian 2
In Game 2, Boyle allowed just two hits and one walk heading into the seventh inning before needing assistance from Manning, who came on to record the final out and collect her second save of the season.

Boyle finished with seven strikeouts against four hits and three walks in her 6 2/3 innings pitched.  She also yielded the two runs.

By the time Boyle started to tire, the Saints had built a comfortable 6-0 lead with single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings before doubling that count with a three-run sixth inning.  Cook drove in each of the first two runs with singles, while Sippel had the final two runs batted in.  In between, Landeros and Boyle had the run-producing hits.

Eight of nine USF starters contributed at least one hit to the 10-hit second-game attack topped by Sippel's two singles.

Notes: Taylor gained a share of the team lead with her fourth home run of the season.  Landeros is one back … Speaking of Landeros, she extended a pair of streaks on Wednesday.  Her hitting streak is now at a season-high eight games and she has now reached base in each of her last 11 contests … The Saints are at Calumet College of St. Joseph on Saturday for a noon start.  

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