SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Holy Cross softball team began the 2023 season with a bang picking up a 14-5 run rule decision against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Friday evening at Cyrill Stadium.

The victory on opening day was the first for the Crusaders (1-0) since taking a 7-4 contest against Hampton six years ago to the date (Feb. 17, 2017). Freshman shortstop Anna Brait had an impressive debut going 3-for-3 at the dish with her first career home run, four RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Classmate Sophia Roncone picked up her first career win by hurling three innings in relief and picking up five strikeouts.

The Hawks (0-1) took an early 4-1 lead, but the Crusaders outscored them 13-1 from the bottom of the second on. Holy Cross scored in every inning during the contest. The 14 runs were the most the Crusaders scored in a win since March 7, 2013 against Grambling (15 runs) while their 16 hits were the most in a game since April 21, 2019 against Colgate.
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Megan Yurchick: two innings pitched, two earned runs, one strikeout.
• Ameenah Ballenger: L (0-1), 2.1 innings pitched, nine hits allowed, nine runs – eight earned runs, five walks.

 
IN RELIEF:

• Sophia Roncone: W (1-0), three innings pitched, five strikeouts, one walk, one earned run.
• Katelyn Smitchko: 2.1 innings pitched seven hits allowed, five earned runs, one strikeout.

 
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Anna Brait: 3-for-3, home run, four RBI, three runs scored, stolen base.
• Freshman Ali Sniegocki: 3-for-4, double, two runs scored.
• Megan Yurchick: 2-for-4, three RBI.
• Junior Morgan Jensen: 2-for-4, three RBI.
• Senior Kari Jacobson: 2-for-2, triple, two runs scored.
• Junior Jessica Mott: 1-for-2, two walks, RBI, double run scored.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Yurchick's scoreless streak ended at 16.1 innings when Ballenger grounded out to second base to plate Morea Hodge for the game's first run in the opening frame.
• Holy Cross evened the score in the home half of the first. Mott worked a five pitch walk and in her first collegiate at bat, Brait singled to center on a 1-2 count for her first career hit to tie the game.
• UMES loaded the bases with two away in the top of the second which resulted in two runs scoring via a Crusader fielding error. Catcher Kelsie Ekstrom doubled to left field plating a run, but senior left fielder Bailey Bates gunned down a runner at home keeping the guests ahead 4-1.
• The Crusaders batted around in the bottom of the second scoring six runs. Three straight hits to start the inning including Sniegocki's first career hit and a Jensen RBI knock made it a 4-2 game. With the bases loaded and two outs, Brait singled to right to tie the contest 4-4. She then stole second base and advanced to third on an error which brought home Bates for the 5-4 lead. Yurchick singled to score a run and sophomore Callie Thibault worked a walk for the 7-4 Crusader edge.
• Roncone came into the game in the top of the third and danced around danger picking up her first career strikeout as the Crusaders led 7-4.
• Yurchick added more runs to the scoreboard with a two RBI single to up the margin to 10-4 through three.
• Mott notched her first base hit of the season, an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to increase the lead.
• Holy Cross completed the run rule win in the bottom of the fifth. Brait smoked a solo tater to deep center on the second pitch of the at bat. Jensen then completed the contest lining a hitter's count pitch into left center to plate two.

 
DUE UP:

• The Crusaders will play two games tomorrow taking on South Carolina State at 1 p.m. and George Mason at 5 p.m.

 
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