THE BASICS:

• GM1 Score: Furman 5, Holy Cross 2
• GM2 Score: Furman 7, Holy Cross 4
• Records: FUR (6-3); HC (1-7)
• Location: Greenville, S.C.
• Date: March 5, 2016
• The Lead: Holy Cross sophomore Thomas Russo (Weston, Mass.) combined to hit 4-for-7 with two doubles and two RBIs, but the Crusaders dropped two games at Furman, 5-2 and 7-4, in non-conference baseball action on Saturday afternoon at Latham Stadium.

GAME 1

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Paladins struck for a run in the bottom of the first, but the Crusaders answered in the top of the second, as freshman Travis Cloney (Wall, N.J.) plated Russo on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.
• Furman gained a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second, but again the Crusaders countered in the top of the third as junior Josh Hassell (Tulsa, Okla.) launched a solo home run over the left-field fence to make it a 2-2 game.
• The Paladins, however, broke the stalemate in the bottom of the third and added an insurance run in the fourth to gain a 4-2 lead.
• After Furman added another run in the bottom of the seventh to gain a 5-2 lead, Holy Cross had a chance in the top of the eighth. The Crusaders loaded the bases with two outs in the frame, but the Paladins were able to get out of the jam.
• Holy Cross also had a chance in the top of the ninth, as Russo and junior Alex Voitik (Shorewood, Ill.) had back-to-back singles with one out in the frame. Furman closer Billy Greenfield, however, came into the game and got the final two outs to clinch the victory for the Paladins.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Furman starting pitcher Will Gaddis picked up the win (2-0), as he allowed two runs on five hits in six innings of work. Gaddis struck out five and only issued one free pass.
• Holy Cross junior starter Justin Finan (Barrington, R.I.) was charged with the loss (0-2), as he surrendered four runs on 11 hits in five innings pitched.
• Furman held the 13-9 edge in total hits, but Holy Cross held the 2-1 advantage in extra-base hits.
• Russo batted 3-for-4 with a run scored in game one, while Voitik (2-for-4) and Cloney (2-for-3) had two hits apiece.

GAME 2

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• In game two, Furman gained the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
• After two scoreless frames, Holy Cross grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Russo brought in senior Nick Lovullo (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and junior Anthony Critelli (Holmdel N.J.) on a double down the left-field line.
• Furman, however, put up a crooked number in the bottom of the fourth, as the Paladins scored four times to gain a 5-2 lead.
• Holy Cross cut into the deficit in the top of the seventh, as Cloney plated junior Bill Schlich (Massapequa, N.Y.) on a single up the middle to make the score 5-3.
• The Crusaders made it a one-run game in the top of the eighth (5-4), as freshman Kellen McCormick (Rockford, Ill.) scored on a fielding error by Furman.
• The Paladins, however, put the game away in the bottom of the eighth with a pair of runs to make the score its final, 7-4.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Furman starting pitcher Matthew Quarles picked up the win (2-0), as he allowed two runs on four hits in six innings pitched.
• Holy Cross junior starter Ben White (Holden, Mass.) was charged with the loss (0-2), as he allowed four runs on three hits in 3.2 innings of work.
• Furman held the 10-6 edge in total hits.
• Cloney was the only Crusader with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-5 in the contest.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross and Furman will play the series finale of their three-game set on Sunday, March 6 at 1:00 p.m.

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