SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Holy Cross softball team fell to Bryant 3-0 Sunday afternoon in Rhode Island.
Megan Yurchick got the start in the circle for the Crusaders and went the first 2+ inning, giving up two earned runs and striking out one.
Kelly Nelson came on in relief and pitched four hitless innings, giving up zero runs, three walks, and striking out nine.
At the plate, the Crusaders only managed three hits, all singles from
Bailey Bates,
Bella Jankowski, and
Mel Leach. Jankowski also stole a base.
The Bulldogs did all their damage in the third inning when the first three batters reached and scored after two singles and an error. Nelson came on got a groundout and two strikeouts to get out of the inning.
In the fourth, Jankowski led things off with a single and followed it up by stealing second. She advanced to third on a Jess Mott groundout, but was stranded there.
Then in the sixth, the Crusaders had runners on first and second after
Erin Bengston reached on an error, and Jankowski was hit by a pitch. But Bryant ended the inning on a double play on a line out to the pitcher who doubled Jankowski up at first.
From when Nelson came on in the third, she never faced more than four batters in an inning, while striking out at least two in every frame.
Leach singled in the top of the seventh, but the Bulldogs collected the final three outs without letting her score.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Jankowski and Leach have reached base safely in all four games this season.
- Through 19 innings pitched, Nelson has allowed just three earned runs for a 1.11 ERA and a .149 opponent batting average.
ON DECK:
The Crusaders will travel to Seton Hall twice next weekend for doubleheaders on both Friday, March 26 and Sunday, March 28.
