PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Holy Cross softball team was upended twice on Sunday, the first day of spring falling 5-0 to Stony Brook in game one and 8-4 to Saint Peter's in game two of doubleheader action at the final day of the Rutgers Tournament.
The two setbacks send the Crusaders to 5-14 on the year. The Seawolves and the Peacocks improve to 12-8 and 11-10 respectively.
GAME ONE: SEAWOLVES 5, CRUSADERS 0 (FINAL):
IN THE CIRCLE:
- Ashton Melaas: W (1-0), 4.0 innings, three hits allowed, one strikeout.
- Senior Kelly Nelson: L (4-8), 6.0 innings, five earned runs, five strikeouts.
- Shelbi Denman: S (1), 3.0 innings pitched, no hits allowed, one strikeout
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- Corinne Badger: 2-for-3, home run, RBI, walk, run scored.
- Alyssa Costello: 2-for-4, two doubles, run scored, stolen base.
- Catherine Kupinski: 1-for-4, home run, two RBI, run scored.
- Brooke Dye: 1-for-2, home run, RBI, run scored, stolen base
- Senior Erin Bengston: 2-for-3.
- Senior Bailey Chavez: 1-for-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Stony Brook produced the first run of the ball game in the top of the second. Costello doubled down the right field line and stole third base easily. The next batter, second baseman Sofia Chambers smoked a two-bagger to center for the 1-0 lead. There was a first and third situation with two away and Holy Cross hurler, Nelson got a fly out to end the inning.
- In the third, a Badger solo shot increased the lead to 2-0 for the Seawolves.
- Two more round trippers, a Dye solo bash in the sixth, and a Kupinski two-run johnson down the left field line completed the win.
GAME TWO: PEACOCKS 8, CRUSADERS 5 (FINAL):
IN THE CIRCLE:
- Taylor Rondon: W (2-3), 4.1 innings, one earned run, two hits allowed, one walk.
- Sophomore Megan Yurchick: L (1-6), 2.1 innings, three runs – three earned, one strikeout, six hits allowed.
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- Cara McNulty: 3-for-4, RBI, stolen base, run scored.
- Katie Sciglimpaglia: 2-for-4, home run, RBI, stolen base, two runs scored.
- Kasidy Slusser: 2-for-3, two RBI, walk.
- Sophomore Jessica Mott: 2-for-4, home run, RBI, run scored.
- Yurchick: 1-for-4, home run, two RBI, run scored
- Junior Bailey Bates: 1-for-2, double, RBI, run scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Crusaders 20 inning scoreless streak ended in the top of the first when Yurchick homered on the first pitch she saw for the early 2-0 lead.
- The Peacocks were aggressive on the bases during their first turn through the lineup as they stole second twice and loaded the bases with one out. Two runs scored on a fielder's choice error by Holy Cross to tie the game. The second miscue of the frame brought another run home for the designated home team for the 3-2 score.
- Saint Peter's tacked on another run in the bottom of the second, a McNulty single to center field for the 4-2 margin.
- Holy Cross leveled the game 4-4 in the top of the third. Bengston connected on an 0-2 pitch and smacked a double into the left centerfield gap. With two outs, Bates drilled a full count offering to left for a two-bagger putting the Crusaders behind 4-3. Freshman Callie Thibault slapped an opposite field single to tie the contest 4-4.
- A delayed steal of home on dropped third strike regained the lead 5-4 for the Peacocks in the third.
- Slusser poked a single down the third base line for two RBI making it a 7-4 edge for Saint Peter's.
- On a 2-2 pitch, Sciglimpagli homered to grow the lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the fifth.
- Mott swung on an 0-2 count and smashed her second home run of the year bringing the deficit down to 8-5 in the seventh.
DUE UP:
- The Crusaders will be back in action on Tuesday with a non-conference date with Brown set for 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
