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Game 6: #1 LIU Brooklyn 6, #3 Saint Francis U 1
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Game 7: #3 Saint Francis U 8, #1 LIU Brooklyn 6
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Brooklyn, NY -- In just the fifth game seven, under the current tournament format, in NEC softball history, the Saint Francis U Red Flash capped off a historic three-year run by capturing their third straight Northeast Conference championship, with an 8-6 victory over the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds. 
 
After a complete game victory earlier in the afternoon to force the tournament’s deciding game, LIU Brooklyn once again handed the ball to Tallie Woodson (Van Nuys, CA / Birmingham), who started and was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2016 NEC Championship for the Blackbirds. 
 
Woodson was rudely greeted by the Red Flash bats, who wasted little time in making an impact. After a double to start things off by the NEC’s hit leader Mekenzie Saban (Pittsburgh, PA / North Hills), and a single by Cheyenne McKee (DuBois, PA / DuBois), Sierra McKee (DuBois, PA / DuBois) plated the first run of the final by singling through the left side. 
 
SFU starting pitcher Mikayla Bower (Williamsport, PA / Williamsport) helped her own cause in the third with a base hit down the line to plate two and give the Red Flash a 3-0 lead. 
 
In the fourth inning, the Red Flash bats looked like the Red Flash offense from the championship games the last two years, sending 11 batters to the plate, scoring five runs on just two hits. With two on an nobody out, LIU turned to Pitcher of the Year Elena Valenzuela (Whittier, CA / La Habra) in relief. Valenzuela walked Cheyenne McKee to load the bases and then walked Sierra McKee to bring in a run. Hayley Norton (Spring Grove, PA / Spring Grove) cleared the bases with a 3 RBI double to put Saint Francis firmly in the drivers’ seat 7-0.  
 
Not ready to have their season come to a close, the Blackbirds would battle back, beginning with a three-run blast from sophomore Ryleigh Bermea (Saugus, CA / Saugus) in the fourth. After the Blackbirds crept to within 8-4 following a bases loaded walk in the fifth, they would bring the tying run to the plate, and Saint Francis would turn to Christina Clark (Avon, OH / Avon High School).
 
Clark, who recorded the two prior Red Flash wins in the tournament, got pinch hitter Kelsey Day (Portland, OR / Westview) to ground out and end the inning, ending the threat. 
 
LIU would have a chance to get even closer in the sixth, with runners on the corners, two out, and Kiana Cisneros (Santa Margarita, CA / Tesoro) at the plate. Cisneros drove the ball to deep left-center field where Jordan Frank (DuBois, PA / DuBois Central Catholic) dove out, extended her left arm, and made a highlight reel catch to end the inning and prevent runners from scoring.

"It was unbelievable, she (Frank) just stepped up in the moment," said SFU head coach Jessica O'Donnell. "I talked to her earlier in this game and I told her 'Jordy, there's some point in this game where we're going to need you to step up and be big, and she did in that moment. I'm really proud of her." 
 
The Blackbirds would find life in the bottom of the seventh following a one-out Samantha Garcia (West Covina, CA / St. Lucy's) two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, to pull themselves to within two runs, 8-6.  After an Amanda Domingo (Carlsbad, CA / Carlsbad) fly out to right field, Katie Hinkle (Murrieta, CA / Murrieta Valley) singled to once again bring the tying run to the plate. Clark would get Patricia Griffin (Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) to pop out to Bower at short to end the game and start the celebration. 

Saint Francis U now takes their place in history as just the fourth team to win three straight NEC softball championships, joining Long Island 1987-90, Robert Morris 1991-94, and Long Island 2006-08. Over the last three seasons, the Red Flash have compiled 117 wins, a 42-6 record in conference play, and a 9-1 record in the NEC Tournament. 
 
Clark pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing just four hits and two runs to earn the save. The freshman 2nd team All-NEC pitcher was named 2019 NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player after allowing seven runs in 17 innings while earning two wins and picking up the championship clinching save. It marked the second straight season a Red Flash pitcher earned Tournament MVP honors after Adrian Smith claimed the prize in 2018. 
 
SFU’s Hayley Norton, the NEC’s all-time home run and RBI leader, went 1-for-3 in the game with 3RBI. For the tournament, she finished 2-for-12 with a home run and 4 RBI, earning a place on the All-Tournament team. Norton and Clark were joined by teammates Kassidy Troxell (Navarre, OH / Perry) and Mikayla Bower. Troxell hit the clutch grand slam home run in Game 3 of the tournament against the Blackbirds, finishing 5-for-14 with the homer and 6 RBI. Bower drove in a run and earned the win in Game Seven, throwing 4.2 innings with seven hits and four runs allowed. 

Runner-up LIU Brooklyn featured three student athletes on the All-Tournament team with Dickson, Cisneros , and Schae Dickson (Wilmington, NC / Eugene Ashley) all honored after leading LIU to Game Seven following a pair of victories over Mount St. Mary’s and a win over Saint Francis U in Game Six. The Blackbirds finish with 36 wins on the year, third most wins for a single season in program history behind 39 wins in 2010 and 37 wins in 2001.

The Red Flash will find out their next destination on the NCAA softball selection show that will take place on Sunday, May 12th at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. 


NEC All-Tournament Team
Christina Clark (MVP), SFU
Mikayla Bower, SFU
Hayley Norton, SFU
Kassidy Troxell, SFU
Kiana Cisneros, LIU 
Schae Dickson, LIU
Samantha Garcia, LIU
Amanda Berkley, MSM
Morgan Alisauckas, MSM
Amy Petrovich, SHU