AUSTIN, TX -- The Saint Francis softball team (40-9, 22-2 NEC) opened play at the 2021 NCAA Regionals at No. 11 Texas (40-11, 12-6 Big 12) with a 12-0 loss in five innings.

Saint Francis 0, No. 11 Texas 12 (5 inn.)

Records: Saint Francis (40-9, 22-2 NEC), Texas (40-11, 12-6 Big 12)

Location: Red and Charline McCombs Field (Austin, Texas)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Grace Vesco started the game in the circle for the Red Flash. Vesco pitched three and two-thirds innings, giving up five earned runs and striking out two. Rachel Marsden entered the game with two outs in the fourth.

Mekenzie Saban hit a lead-off single up the middle on the first pitch but the Red Flash stranded a runner at first to end the inning. Texas answered with four runs in the bottom of the first. The Longhorns loaded the bases with nobody out before Vesco earned the first out with a strikeout. Texas scored on a sacrifice fly and two steals home before loading the bases for the second time. An SFU fielding error let a fourth run score before an infield play ended the inning.

The score remained 4-0 until the Longhorns added two in the bottom of the third. Texas scored twice on a pair of two-out infield singles before a pop up ended the inning.

The Longhorns added six unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth before Marsden entered the game with two outs and runners on first and third. A groundout to shortstop on Marsden’s first pitch ended the inning.

GAME NOTES

This is Saban’s seventh-straight game with a hit.

This is the Red Flash’s first loss in less than seven innings this season.

UP NEXT

Saint Francis takes on the loser of the No. 10 Oregon vs. Texas State game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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