FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Monday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (14-11; 6-7 Crossroads) traveled to Huntington, Indiana for a doubleheader against the Huntington University Foresters (7-20; 5-11 Crossroads) and split the two games winning the opener 9-4 before dropping the finale 5-4.

In the opening game, junior pitcher Mackenzie Rust started for the Cougars now having had five days rest and resumed her usual dominance in the early going.

Meanwhile, the Cougars went straight to work with the bats in the top of the first, when with one out, third baseman Dani Karr doubled, and shortstop Abby Erwin doubled her home to give Saint Francis a 1-0 lead. Then catcher Tori Miller slammed a two-run home run to left field to extend the lead to 3-0 before Rust even threw a pitch.

The Cougars added another run in the second with an RBI-groundout, and another in the third on an error by the Foresters to take a 5-0 lead.

But in the bottom of the fourth, Rust ran into trouble for the first time in the game. The Foresters loaded the bases with two outs, and then plated two runs on a two-out single to cut the deficit to 5-2 but held them from there.

Then come the top of the seventh, the Cougars put the game away with four more runs capped by a two-run home run by Erwin, and Rust despite allowing a couple more in the bottom of the frame, shut the door on the Foresters for a complete-game victory.

Abby Erwin was the big player at the plate in the opener going 3-for-4 with three RBI's and three runs scored, while Rust allowed four runs through seven innings while compiling three strikeouts.

In the finale, sophomore pitcher Erika Turpin started for the Cougars but struggled in the early going. She surrendered four consecutive hits topped by a fielding error by the Cougars as this time it was the Foresters who jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.

Matters only worsened in the bottom of the second when two more hits and another error extended the deficit to 5-0 driving Turpin from the game.

Freshman Mia Werner came in and pitched brilliantly in relief, holding the Foresters scoreless through the last five innings. But at the plate, the Cougars struggled as they were held scoreless through the first six innings.

Going into the seventh, the Cougars trailed by five runs down to their final three outs. But a leadoff walk to first baseman Anna Smith and an error by the Foresters gave Saint Francis life. Right fielder Aubrey Dunnuck plated the first run for the Cougars, but they weren't finished.

Hits by Carly Turner and Dani Karr plated three more runs bringing Saint Francis to within one run, now down 5-4 as the go-ahead run came to the plate. But Abby Erwin grounded out sharply to the third baseman as the Cougars' rally was snuffed and they were dealt the split.

The Cougars resume play and their road series in just under 24 hours when they travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio for a doubleheader against the Mount Vernon University Cougars (21-7; 11-5 Crossroads) beginning at 3:00 pm.