MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Holy Cross softball team started their spring break trip on Saturday at THE Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla. falling to Southern Indiana 2-0 in game one and 3-2 to Hofstra in game two.

The two losses send the Crusaders to 3-6 on the young campaign while the victories improve the Screaming Eagles (4-5) and the Pride (4-10) records.
 
GAME ONE: SCREAMING EAGLES 2, CRUSADERS 0 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Josie Newman: W (3-3), complete game, shutout, 12 strikeouts, three hits allowed.
• Freshman Sophia Roncone: L (1-3), complete game, one earned run, seven hits allowed, three strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Mackenzie Bedrick: 2-for-3, run scored, walk.
• Lexi Fair: 1-for-2, double, RBI.
• Sammie Kihega: 1-for-4, double, RBI.
• Junior Jessica Mott: 1-for-3.
• Freshman Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-3.
• Senior Bailey Bates: 1-for-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• During the away half of the second, Mott turned a nifty double play on a liner to third and threw across the field to first to double off the runner and end the frame.
• In the top of the third, USI put runners on first and second with one out. A fielder's choice groundout moved the runner to third base with two down. A walk loaded the bases with two outs. Roncone induced a groundout to third to strand the bases loaded.
• USI took the lead in the top of the fourth as Fair roped a one out double into the left center field gap to push her team ahead 1-0.
• The Screaming Eagles began the top of the sixth with a lead off double. Holy Cross ended up allowing no runners to score to stay behind 1-0.
• In the seventh, the guests scratched across another run with two outs to increase the lead to 2-0.

GAME TWO: PRIDE 3, CRUSADERS 2 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Megan Yurchick: L (2-3), 5.0 innings pitched, two earned runs, four hits allowed, one strikeout.
• Emma Brennan: ND, 4.0 innings pitched, two earned runs, seven hits allowed, three strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Haley: Venturini: W, (1-3). 3.0 innings pitched, zero hits allowed, two strikeouts.
• Senior Peyton Morehouse: 0.2 innings pitched, two walks, hit batter.
• Freshman Sophia Roncone: 0.1 innings pitched.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Alanna Morse: 1-for-3 triple, RBI.
• Becca Vaillancourt: 1-for-3, run scored.
• Megan Yurchick: 2-for-3 RBI.
• Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-3, RBI.
• Senior Bailey Bates: 1-for-3, walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Three of the Crusaders seven hits came in the top of the first. Mott began the contest with a single to left and Bates walked on a full count. A fielder's choice kept the runners on first and second then Yurchick singled through the left side to bring home the game's first run. Sniegocki bashed a double to left to plate classmate Anna Brait pushing the Crusaders ahead 2-0.
• In the bottom of the third, two fielding errors resulted in a run for the designated home team as they cut into the deficit at 2-1.
• The Crusaders final two hits on the game came in the top of the fourth as singles by senior Kari Jacobson and Bates had runners at first and second for Brait who grounded out to end the scoring threat.
• Vaillancourt singled on the first pitch in the bottom of the sixth which chased Yurchick from the ballgame. Two pop flies. And back-to-back walks juiced the bases with two down. On a 1-2 pitch pinch hitter Anna Butler was drilled scoring the eventual winning run from third.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross will be back in action tomorrow at THE Spring Games taking on Big East foes Georgetown (11:30 a.m.) and Creighton (2 p.m.)

 
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