WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross softball senior Kelly Nelson took the circle for the regular-season finale and became the first player in program history to reach 600 strikeouts as the Crusaders completed the three game sweep of Patriot League opponent Lafayette 10-2 in six innings Sunday afternoon on Freshman Field.

With the win, the Crusaders (21-29, 8-10 PL) finish the 2022 campaign tying the third highest single-season win total in program history. The eight conference wins are the most since 2017 (8-10) and the Crusaders tallied a 9-4 (.692) mark at home, their highest total since 2013 (8-18). The last time Holy Cross was above .500 at home was 2003 (10-9). The Crusaders finished the season on a four game winning streak going 8-3 over their final 11 contests.

Nelson recorded her 600th strikeout in the third inning getting Erica Basher swinging on a 2-2 offering. She finishes her Holy Cross career with 603 strikeouts, the most all-time in program history and the fifth most in the Patriot League.

#?6?0?0? for KKKKKKelly!

In the third inning against Lafayette, Kelly Nelson became the first 'Sader and fourth @PatriotLeague pitcher to reach 600 career strikeouts!#GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/V2Pj2RI9xi

— Holy Cross Softball (@HCrossSB) May 8, 2022

Nelson also ranks second in program annals in shutouts (12), third in wins (28), third in ERA (2.56) and complete games (48), and fourth in starts (77). In the single-season record books, Kelly holds the top single-season strikeout mark (233, 2022) which is fourth in the history of the conference.

Sophomore Jessica Mott had her team-high tying seventh multiple RBI contest driving in three runs for the third time this year. With her final at bat of the battle in the sixth inning, Mott set the single-season at bat mark at 162. Her 55 hits this season were a team-best and tied for second all-time in a season.
 
IN THE CIRCLE:

• Kelly Nelson: W (14-16), complete game, eight strikeouts, two hits allowed, two walks.
• Jacqueline Cal: L (3-11), four hits allowed, two earned runs, one walk, one strikeout.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Sophomore Claire McCann: 3-for-4, double, RBI, run scored.
• Jessica Mott: 2-for-4, three RBI, double, two runs scored.
• Senior Bailey Chavez: 1-for-2, RBI, stolen base, two runs scored, two walks.
• Sophomore Megan Yurchick: 1-for-4, double, two RBI.
• Kinzi Van Wyk: 1-for-3, solo home run.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Chavez worked an 11 pitch walk in the bottom of the first and stole second with two away. McCann smacked an RBI double to left field to score Chavez and give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead.
• Lafayette leveled the margin 1-1 when Van Wyc smashed a solo homer off Nelson on a 2-0 pitch in the second frame.
• The Leopards loaded the bases in the fourth inning with one away and eventually regained the lead 2-1. Reitano was called out via the infield fly rule, however junior Kari Jacobson dropped the ball. The runner from third, Bickett, scored as Jacobson tried to double up Van Wyk at second base. Even though she was safe, Van Wyk thought she was retired and walked back to the dugout. She was eventually ruled out by the umpires as she abandoned her base and the inning was over.
• The Crusaders tacked on four runs in the fifth. Mott smashed a double off the left field fence clearing the bases and put the hosts back in front 3-2. Chavez followed, first pitch hacking singling up the middle to score Mott. The fourth run was plated via error for the 5-2 Holy Cross advantage.
• Holy Cross won by the run rule in the sixth inning. A Mott single made it 7-2 coupled with a fielding error increasing the score to 8-2. With the bases still loaded and two outs, Yurchick pulled a two RBI double to left field giving the hosts the victory.

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