WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Holy Cross softball team suffered an 8-3 defeat to Army West Point in their Patriot League opener Friday evening at the Softball Complex.

The victory improves the Black Knight record to 8-20, 1-0 PL while the Crusaders suffered their sixth straight defeat and fall to 5-17, 0-1 PL.
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Alicyn Grete: ND, 3.1 innings pitched, eight hits allowed, three runs, one earned run, three strikeouts.
• Freshman Sophia Roncone: L (1-7), 4.1 innings pitched, eight earned runs, six hits allowed, four walks, two strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Breanna Izzo: W (3-1), 3.2 innings pitched, one hit allowed, four strikeouts.
• Senior Peyton Morehouse: 1.2 innings pitched, one hit allowed, two strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Taylor Brown: 1-for-2, home run, walk, two runs scored, four RBI.
• Ashton White: 2-for-3, double, two RBI.
• Junior Jessica Mott: 2-for-4, home run, double, RBI.
• Peyton Morehouse: 2-for-3, RBI.
• Freshman Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-4, double, run scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Mott swatted the first pitch of the ball game off the left center field fence for a leadoff double. Senior Bailey Bates was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. The next two batters were retired and junior Claire McCann lined a single to keep the inning alive and load the bases. The Army starter got the final out of the frame to end the scoring threat.
• Army took a 3-0 lead as Taylor Brown belted a homer to center field on a full count in the bottom of the first.
• Holy Cross scratched across two runs in the top of the third with two outs. An error brought in Sniegocki from third and Morehouse slapped the first pitch down the right field line to make it a 3-2 game.
• In the fourth with one out, Mott demolished the softball off the scoreboard for a solo shot that leveled the margin at 3-3.
• Two infield hits with a walk loaded the bases for Army in the bottom of the fifth with no outs. Back-to-back bases loaded walks broke the deadlock to make it 5-3 in favor of Army. A sacrifice fly expanded the margin to 6-3. With one away, a two-RBI double expanded the lead to 8-3. Morehouse came in and retired the final two batters of the frame.

DUE UP:

• The Crusader will wrap up their weekend set with Army on Sunday, March 26.
• First pitch of a Sunday doubleheader will start at noon.

 
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