STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Franciscan softball played a full 14 innings of strong softball despite losing their doubleheader to conference opponent Mount Aloysius 6-0 and 16-6.

"First game, we just didn't hit enough," head coach James Walker said. "The second game, we really battled back. The girls played hard the whole game. For all 14 innings, we played hard."

The Lady Barons had a hard time getting the bats going in the first game against a particularly strong opposing pitcher who was throwing an effective rise ball. The FUS hitters could not get the ball out of the infield until the bottom of the fifth inning when freshman Kristina Frandson cracked a single over the second baseman's head for the team's first hit.

Frandson finished with the team's only two hits in the first game and added two more in the second game for the team's best hitting of the afternoon.

"Kristina had four hits for the day, that's pretty good for a freshman," Walker said.

Led by sophomore Jordan Cunningham on the mound, the Lady Barons came into the second game with a lot more intensity and focus and were able to hold the Mounties scoreless for the first two innings.

"The fact that we are able to get out of the first inning and still give ourselves a chance, that's big for us," Walker said. "That hasn't happened a lot this year."

Cunningham threw all 14 innings of the doubleheader, only striking out five batters total but pitching as strong as she has all season.

"She gave us a chance to win both games," Walker said. "The last score wasn't nearly as indicative of how close the game was. They scored six runs in the last inning, which made the score look a lot worse than it was."

The Lady Barons were able to provide more offense in the second game to match Cunningham's pitching, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings.

Sophomore Iliana Gonzales reached on an error to start the bottom of the second and then scored off Frandson's double. Freshman Anne Pivarunas then came up and bunted a single, which freshman Sarah Cole followed with a walk. Pivarunas and Cole both stole multiple bases on one play, crossing home plate to give the Lady Barons the early lead.

The Mounties, however, answered with four runs in the top of the fourth with the Lady Barons able to tie the game in their half of the inning.

Senior Hailey Wesselman, who had three hits in the second game, roped a single with one out and scored off a double by Cunningham, tying the game at four after three innings.

The Lady Barons kept the game close for the next three innings until the Mounties opened the game up with six runs in the top of the seventh, essentially eliminating the chances of any last-inning heroics for Franciscan.

Franciscan has faced perhaps two of the toughest opponents in the AMCC in their first conference games with the Lady Barons responding fairly well to the challenges presented to them, especially in terms of the opposing pitching.

"We've faced two really good pitchers to start the conference," Walker said. "We faced two of the top three teams, too. We face the other one tomorrow, playing the three best teams for one, two and three."

The Lady Barons will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Penn St.-Altoona for a doubleheader on April 1 at 3 and 5 pm.