Steubenville, Ohio- The Franciscan University Lady Barons softball team lost to the University of Pitt - Greensburg after being off for the past week. FUS lost 18-0 and 14-0 in the home doubleheader.

The games were originally scheduled for March 27 but were cancelled due to weather. The games were then reschedule for April 2, the first day back from a department wide, weeklong break for Holy Week. With no practices or games in the last seven days, multiple players missing from the team, and one of the AMCC's best teams as their opponent, FUS knew that their games against the Bobcats would be challenging.

"They are one of the stronger teams in our division," head coach Jen Parker said. "They are always really tough and we had to kind of prepare mentally. I went in really positively. I think we could beat them but we just didn't bring our A game."

The Bobcats were able to hold the Lady Barons to quick at-bats with strong pitching and clean fielding. The Lady Barons did have some strong defensive moments, but they weren't enough to hold back their opponent from scoring multiple runs in multiple innings.

"Definitely not our best day," Parker said. "Obviously I was really disappointed with our performance, we looked like a team that was on break, which was exactly what we were."

Parker said she will consider changing their schedule for next year in order to avoid having to come back from another break in momentum so quickly. Although she wasn't expecting this outcome, Parker said she knows what her team needs to do in order to refocus.

"I wouldn't have thought that a week off would have affected us as much as it did, but it really did," Parker said. "We have to regroup and get back into it."

Although the team was not successful in the day's doubleheader, some Lady Barons were still able to stand out. Sophomore Lauren Kleckner stepped in to play right field just in time to make a great catch for an out in the second game. Even though her hitting did not translate into runs, junior Rosemary Cassidy went 2 for 3 from the plate in the second game with singles in the third and fifth innings.

Franciscan also added two players to the roster today, both of whom saw time during the doubleheader. Sophomore Sarah Prosser started both games at second base while junior catcher Brianna Antrim started game one.

Parker said that she is hopeful that her team will regain their focus and that their next games will end differently. Franciscan will play another home doubleheader on Wednesday, April 3 against Grove City College at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.