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Loretto, PA — There is nothing Saint Francis U has not accomplished this season.
 
Going undefeated in Loretto and putting together a perfect 24-0 record in conference play for the program’s sixth Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season crown, the Red Flash (40-12) put a bow on a storybook campaign and claimed the NEC Tournament title with a commanding five-inning 12-0 win over fourth-seeded CCSU (29-18) on Saturday afternoon.
 
It’s the sixth time in the past seven years that Saint Francis U finds itself on the mountaintop of NEC softball. Winning the program’s first-ever title in 2017, the Red Flash established their dynasty by claiming four more tournament championships in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
 
With the three postseason triumphs, the Red Flash earned wins in all 27 games against conference opponents.
 
The title came in dominant fashion. Saint Francis U did not allow a single run in its final two postseason contests against Sacred Heart on Friday and the Blue Devils, and during the three-game stretch, they outscored their opposition by an impressive 37-4 margin.
 
Senior Lexi Hernandez, who accounted for one-third of the Red Flash’s scoring in the title-clinching game with two RBI and a pair of runs scored, finished the tournament with a .455 batting average, five runs, 7 RBI and a pair of home runs. The third baseman was tabbed the NEC tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
 
Hernandez also took home NEC All-Tournament Team distinction, where she was joined by fellow Red Flash teammates Grace Vesco, Rachel Marsden and Ashley Orischak. 
 
The runs poured in for the Red Flash just like the rain did for most of the weekend in Loretto. 
 
In the top of the second, Orischak drove in the first run of the game on a triple that brought home senior outfielder Sydney Baker. One inning later, the Red Flash lit up the scoreboard with four runs before they exploded for five more in a fourth inning that was interrupted by a two-hour and 15-minute rain delay.
 
Following an RBI single by Hernandez, Marsden kept the frame going with a three-run shot to make it 9-0 before the rain forced suspension of play. After the break, the Red Flash did not skip a beat, as Orischak went yard to push the advantage to 9-0.
 
The Red Flash’s final at-bats featured two more home runs, including a leadoff bomb by Savannah Nash and another slam by Marsden. Marsden and Hernandez each went yard three times during the tournament.
 
From Central Connecticut, Paige Stringer, KC Machado and Ashlyn Desaulniers were named to the NEC All-Tournament Team. The trio helped lead the Blue Devils back to the championship for the first time since 2015.
 
The Red Flash will learn their NCAA opponent on Sunday during the NCAA Selection Show, which will air at 7 pm on ESPN2.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Lexi Hernandez, SFU (MVP)
Rachel Marsden, SFU
Ashley Orischak, SFU
Grave Vesco, SFU
Ashlyn Desaulniers, CCSU
Meg Gorman, CCSU
KC Machado, CCSU
Cierra Bender, SHU
Sam Kowalski, SHU
Mari Narvaiz , LIU

GAME 5: #4 CCSU 4, #3 Sacred Heart 1
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Loretto, PA — In a win-or-go-home battle between two Nutmeg State teams, fourth-seeded CCSU sent third-seeded Sacred Heart home on Saturday morning after scoring a 4-1 final.
 
CCSU’s Liz Hamilton, an All-Rookie team hurler, pitched an absolute gem to lead the Blue Devils to their first championship game since 2015. She opened the game by retiring 14-straight batters and put down 15 of the first Pioneers she faced. Issuing a pair of walks, her lone blip came in the seventh inning on a one-out Victoria LoPinto home run.
 
Senior Kaylee Whittaker, the 2023 NEC Pitcher of the Year, came in to seal the deal for the Blue Devils. The veteran induced a pop up and a ground out to successfully earn the save.
 
The Blue Devils put straight numbers up on the scoreboard in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 advantage before they tacked on one more run in both the sixth and seventh frames to go up, 4-1.
 
After senior utility player Meg Gorman led off the game with a two-bagger, NEC Player of the Year Paige Stringer generated momentum and brought home the Blue Devils’ centerfielder with a one-out double. CCSU used the long ball once again in the following frame to double the lead after sophomore first baseman Grace Lawton homered to center. 
 
The Blue Devils’ home run spree — which began on Friday when the Blue Devils launched four homers in a 12-9 slugfest victory over LIU — continued in the sixth inning. With one out, sophomore outfielder Ashlyn Desaulniers went yard to extend the lead to 3-0. Rookie Reagan Vunak rounded out the scoring in CCSU’s final at-bats, delivering a two-out base hit to plate pinch runner Adriana Manory.