CONWAY, S.C. – Senior Madison Cabell hit a two-run homer to lead the No. 20 Saint Francis Softball team to a 4-3 win over Coastal Carolina on Sunday on the final day of the Kickin’ Chicken Classic. The Red Flash scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to improve to 3-2 this season. Coastal Carolina suffered its first loss of the year.
Sophomore Abby Trahan made her third start of the season, throwing her second complete game. Trahan allowed three runs on four hits and two walks. The sophomore struck out eight, just one shy of her career high. Trahan retired the last nine batters she faced and struck out the side in the fourth inning.
Junior Ashley Guillette started in the circle for the Chanticleers. Guillette threw five innings, and faced one batter in the sixth, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits while striking out four and walking sixth. Freshman Kaitlin Bailey-Polko replaced Guillette in the sixth inning and threw the final two innings, giving up a hit and striking out a batter.
Senior Madison Cabell, homering in her second straight game, led the SFU offense. She drove in two runs, while sophomore Halle Marion drove in a run with a single. Junior Kassidy Troxell hit a double and scored a run, with junior Mikayla Bower adding a hit and senior Jordan Seneca scoring a run.
Kailey Mellen led Coastal Carolina with two hits, including a two-run homer. Timi Tooley contributed an RBI double and Taylor Sweigart had a single and a run.
Saint Francis got on the board in the top of the second. Madison Cabell drew a walk to lead off the inning and Kassidy Troxell followed by roping a double to the wall in right center. Two batters later, the Red Flash tried a squeeze play, but Cabell was thrown out at home. However, Halle Marion sent a liner into left field to drive in Troxell and give SFU a 1-0 lead.
The Red Flash added two runs in the top of the third on dinger by Cabell. With one out, Jordan Seneca drew a walk. Two batters later, Cabell blasted a pitch over the fence in right center to extend SFU’s lead to 3-0.
The Chanticleers answered with a run in the bottom of the third. After Kailey Mellen reached on a one-out single to center, Timi Tooley hit a fly ball of the wall in center for a double that plated Mellen. Saint Francis led 3-1 after three innings.
Coastal Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor Sweigart led off the inning with a single to left center. Kailey Mellen followed with a line drive over the wall in right center to even the score at 3-3.
Saint Francis re-took the lead in the top of the sixth. Hayley Norton drew a walk to begin the inning. After a pitching change, MeKenzie Saban dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move
Norton to second. Marion then placed a bunt along the third base line and forced a bad throw to first, which hit off the base and trickled into the outfield to allow Norton to score from second. The Red Flash held a 4-3 advantage going to the bottom of the sixth.
The Red Flash travels to No. 13 Auburn next weekend for the Tiger Invitational. The tournament begins on Friday, February 16 with matchups against Georgia State (1:30 p.m. ET) and Auburn (6:30 p.m. ET).
