DAVIS, Calif. – Senior Claire Krotine and junior Isabella Barge each hit 3-for 4 as part of a 12-hit onslaught, but St. Francis surrendered a walk-off solo home run in the eighth inning to fall by a 4-3 final to Davis in Sierra Foothill League softball action at Community Park Friday afternoon.

The Troubadours slip to 1-10 for the year and 0-5 in league play. The Blue Devils improve to 11-6 overall and pick up their first-ever SFL win at 1-4.

St. Francis struck immediately, with Kinsley Imm driving a double to left to score Krotine. Junior catcher Sofia Lester, who later came up with the solo shot in the eighth,, led off the second with a homer to equalize before Imm fanned three straight DSHS batters. St. Francis regained the lead in the third, with an Alexis McFarland single, a Jaeya Leavitt sacrifice and a Krotine rip through the middle adding up to another run. Imm continued the rally with a line shot to center to set up two Troubies in scoring position, but Blue Devil Kaytlin LeBar-Triepke escaped without any further SF runners coming across.

Davis then claimed its first lead with a two-run fifth, with LeBar-Triepke providing the go-ahead RBI hit for a 3-2 edge. However, Troubie senior Kylee Garrett snared a line drive off Lester's bat then doubled up Madison Hunter for a double play, limiting the damage at the two runs.

The Troubies continued to maintain pace with some small ball in the seventh: McFarland led of with a single and moved up 60 feet thanks to a throwing error. She advanced to third on a sacrifice, then came home for the 3-3 equalizer on a wild pitch. Still, freshman reliever Layla Duarte retired the next two batters to keep the game knotted up.

St. Francis nearly surrendered the game-winning run in the bottom half of that seventh, with LeBar-Triepke ripping a single to center with second baseman Gracie Martinez on second. But McFarland momentarily saved the day with her outfield kill to catcher Jocelyn Villaflor, ending the inning and forcing the extra frames.

Barge got SF started in the eighth with a single, but could not get past second. Instead, Davis enjoyed the Lester walk-off with one down.

Oddly, Friday's game represented the second straight time St. Francis lost on the road at Davis by a 4-3 final in the eighth. This outcome took place on April 3, 2024 – almost exactly one year prior to Friday's SFL matchup.

The Troubadours take a brief break from SFL play, heading to Christian Brothers for the Holy Diamond rivalry matchup Saturday at noon.