WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross softball sophomore Jessica Mott was a hard out for Army West Point Saturday afternoon and she reached base six times as the Crusaders split a Patriot League doubleheader winning the first game 6-2 before dropping game two by a 6-0 margin.

Mott combined to go 6-for-8 (.750) in the two game set with five singles, a double, and three runs scored from the leadoff spot. Mott leads the team in batting average (.343), runs (18), hits (47), doubles (12), total bases (65), on-base percentage (.413), and OPS (.887). Mott needs one more hit to crack the top-10 single season list and is currently tied for fifth in doubles.

Another 4?? hit game for Jessica Mott ????????

She's 4-for-4 in game one! 

?? https://t.co/QdsJXrrAti#GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/ydplwNzREB
— Holy Cross Softball (@HCrossSB) April 23, 2022
 

Senior Erin Bengston walked a total of four times across the two games giving her a team-high 26 which is second overall in the conference. Bengston needs two more free passes to break the single game program mark of 27 set by Megan Gaffney back in 1995.

The game one win gave the Crusaders (15-28, 4-10 PL) their 15th victory of the campaign which is their most in a single season since 2011 (18-31, 10-10 PL). With the split, Army moved to 18-26 and 8-3 in league play.
 
GAME ONE: CRUSADERS 6, BLACK KNIGHTS 2 (FINAL):

IN THE CIRCLE:

• Senior Kelly Nelson: W (10-15), complete game, four strikeouts, five hits allowed, two earned runs.
• Jolie Duong L (9-9), 1.2 innings pitched, three earned runs, three walks, four hits allowed.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Sophomore Jessica Mott: 4-for-4, double, three runs scored.
• Senior Bailey Chavez: 2-for-4, run scored.
• Junior Kari Jacobson: 2-for-3, two runs scored.
• Senior Erin Bengston: 0-for-1, three walks, two RBI.
• Sophomore Claire McCann: 0-for-2, walk, three RBI.
• Lauren Little: 0-for-0, three walks, two stolen bases, run scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross loaded the bases full in the bottom of the first. McCann drove home the first run lofting a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Mott who reached via a walk for the 1-0 advantage.
• Army leveled the margin at 1-1 in the top of the second as Ellie Caldwell singled up the middle with two outs.
• The Crusaders did some damage with two outs in the second. Jacobson, Mott, and Chavez all had singles to load the bases. Bengston and McCann drew back-to-back free passes to score two runs as Holy Cross led 3-1.
• Kayla Edwards tripled into the right centerfield gap with one out in the fifth and Hurst lofted a sacrifice fly to right to pull her team within one, 3-2.
• The Crusaders tacked on three insurance runs in the sixth for the 6-2 win.

 
GAME TWO: BLACK KNIGHTS 6, CRUSADERS 0 (FINAL):

IN THE CIRCLE:

• Emily Iannotti: W (7-3) complete game, shutout, six strikeouts, four walks.
• Sophomore Megan Yurchick: L (5-13), 4.0 innings pitched, six hits allowed, two earned runs, two strikeouts.

 
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Kayla Edwards: 3-for-4, double, two runs scored, RBI.
• Jolie Duong: 2-for-4, double, three runs scored.
• Maddie Wilkes: 1-for-3, two RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A stretch of four straight fielder's choices in the top of the first resulted in a run for Army and they jumped ahead 1-0 as the throw home hit the runner, Edwards.
• Army added another run in the second when Leila Hurst singled through the right side to score Duong.
• Edwards smoked the first pitch she saw in the fourth into the gap in left center field bringing home the third run of the game. A sacrifice fly increased their lead to 4-0.
• A bunt and a Wilkes infield hit padded the lead at 6-0.

DUE UP:

• The Crusaders and Black Knights play the rubber match of the three game series tomorrow at noon on Freshman Field.

 
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