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Loretto, PA — It's officially a dynasty.

Top-seeded Saint Francis U scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back on its way to capturing another Northeast Conference softball title with a 9-0 oust of No. 4 LIU on Saturday. The Red Flash become the first team in conference history to win five straight NEC Championships, besting Robert Morris' four-year reign, which spanned from 1991 to 1994. 

Saint Francis U won all three of its tournament games in dominant fashion. Outscoring opponents by 23-7 margin on their home turf, the Red Flash bring a 35-16 record into the NCAA Tournament. 

Senior infielder Lindsay Ward and junior utility player Ashley Wruble were each named to the NEC All-Tournament Team for the Red Flash, in addition to junior pitcher Grace Vesco, who was tabbed the Most Valuable Player of the championship. It marks the second straight year that Saint Francis U's ace bestows the honor.

Vesco had another stellar championship. In 16.2 innings of work across three outings, the hurler struck out 17 batters and allowed just one earned run to finish with a perfect 3-0 record. She fanned seven and allowed just three base runners on a pair of walks and one hit in Saturday's title game.

"This is really special, especially to play and win at home in front of our fans," said head coach Jessica O'Donnell, who is in her fourth season at the helm. "I'm really proud of our team for never getting too down on ourselves when we faced adversity throughout the season. Grace is a really tough player and she is always going to continue fighting and that's what she did all tournament."

The Red Flash scratched two runs across in the first before a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Jordan Pietrzykoski followed by a three-run homer by Ward quickly made it a 6-0 game. Three more runs in the top of the seventh highlighted by another Ward RBI was the icing on the cake for Saint Francis U. 

The Red Flash will learn their opponents in the NCAA Regionals on Sunday during the Selection Show, which is set to air on ESPN2 at 7 pm.

NEC All-Tournament Team
Grace Vesco, SFU (MVP)
Lindsay Ward, SFU
Ashley Wruble, SFU
Katie Hinkle, LIU
Camryn Lyman, LIU
Desiree Smith, LIU
Mariah Godde, MSM
Bridgette Gilliano, MSM
Savannah Thornell, FDU