CALDWELL, SLINGWINE HONORED BY NORTHEAST CONFERENCE

LORETTO, Pa. (May 6, 2008) – Two days after clinching a Northeast Conference playoff berth for the first time since 2002, the Saint Francis softball team had two players receive weekly conference honors.

Juniors Laura Caldwell (Bellefonte, Pa. / Bellefonte) and Kelly Slingwine (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) were tabbed the NEC’s Pitcher- and Player-of-the-Week, respectively, for their efforts in leading the Red Flash to a sweep of in-state rival Pittsburgh, and an NEC playoff-clinching victory over Monmouth, last week.

Caldwell earned wins in both of her appearances last week, allowing just one earned run over 14.0 innings of work en route to a 0.50 ERA. The Bellefonte native, who held opponents to a .176 batting average in a pair of complete games, issued just one walk while striking out 14 batters. Caldwell led the Red Flash to its first win over Pitt since 2001, scattering five hits while striking out eight in a complete game shutout. The junior allowed just one earned run in a crucial 4-2 win over Monmouth, helping Saint Francis secure its first postseason berth since 2002. Caldwell has won 10 of her last 12 decisions, posting a 1.77 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 75.0 innings of work.

On the season, Caldwell is 13-18 with a 2.86 ERA and a school-record 170 strikeouts in 188.1 innings of work. She has thrown two no-hitters, including a perfect game.

Slingwine played a crucial role in helping the Red Flash secure its first tournament berth since 2002, hitting .556 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and four runs scored. The Gibsonia native went 3-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored in Saint Francis’ doubleheader sweep of Pitt, before driving home two RBIs with a run scored in the Red Flash’s postseason-clinching win over Monmouth. Slingwine is hitting .421 over the team’s last 19 games, with four doubles, four home runs and a team-best 21 RBIs and 15 runs scored. The junior owns a .702 slugging percentage over the same span along with a .459 on-base percentage.

Slingwine is hitting .315 on the year with seven home runs and 32 RBIs. She set a single-season school record with 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts, and has scored 30 runs.

The Red Flash are 23-32 on the year, but are 13-6 over their last 19 games. They finished 10-3 at home in 2008, including a perfect 7-0 mark in NEC contests.

Saint Francis finished third in the Northeast Conference after being selected by league coaches to finish eighth in a pre-season poll. The Red Flash will battle in-state rival Robert Morris, the NEC’s second seed, in a 12:30 p.m. contest on Friday at the Northeast Conference Softball Tournament, which will be hosted by Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y. SFU finished 11-6 in NEC play this season, improving upon a 3-15, ninth-place showing one year ago.