Back in the Tournament, Saint Francis eyes first win since 2017

LORETTO (WTAJ) — For the third time in four years, Saint Francis softball is back in the NCAA Softball Tournament and eying its first win since 2017.

The Red Flash ride a 9-game winning streak to Austin, where they’ll face Northwestern Friday at 6:30 p.m. Sienna and Texas make up the other half of the Austin regional bracket.

SFU is 40-12 and went 3-5 this year against teams in the tournament, which includes two wins against Sienna.

“We can compete with these teams and we know that,” said junior first basemen Olivia Ulam. “Going into the regional, we want to be more confident and we’re kind of like the underdogs. So it feels good to not have the pressure on us, but we’re really excited to play these top teams.”

The Red Flash lost 4-0 to Virginia Tech, and 4-0 to Miami (OH) in 2022, in the team’s most recent trip to regionals. SFU has lost 9 straight NCAA Tournament game’s since beating New Mexico State 8-4 back in 2017.

This is the Red Flash’s sixth trip to regionals, head coach Beth Krysiak said honoring and adding to the program’s history is something she’s stressed with the players.

“I told the girls this is something that people before you have started. There’s a legacy of winning here and we want to honor them,” she said. “But also you’re becoming part of that. You’re creating more and more legacy every time we win.”

SFU hired Krysiak in August of 2023. Saint Francis is her first head coaching job after spending the previous four years as an assistant at Columbia.

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