NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Holy Cross softball junior Megan Yurchick tallied the fourth no-hitter in program history as the Crusaders swept through nonconference foe Merrimack 1-0 in eight innings during game one and 1-0 during game two Wednesday afternoon on Martone-Mejail Field.

The twinbill sweep sends the Crusaders to 11-27 overall while the host Warriors fall to 11-20 on the season.

Yurchick became the third student-athlete in program history to twirl a no-hitter and threw the first no-no since Kelly Nelson's on May 8, 2021 at Army West Point. Yurchick finished the game with a career-high 11 strikeouts working around six walks in the eight inning effort.

Congratulations to @meganyurchick for throwing the fourth no-hitter in program history!

Megan struck out a career-high 11 batters in the 1-0 eight inning win at Merrimack ??#GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/CBKOT0jqKm
— Holy Cross Softball (@HCrossSB) April 12, 2023
 

In game two, freshman Sophia Roncone hurled a one hitter and produced her second career complete game and first career shutout.
 
GAME ONE: CRUSADERS 1, WARRIORS 0 (FINAL – 8 INN.):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Megan Yurchick: W, (7-13), no-hitter, complete game, shutout, career-high 11 strikeouts, six walks.
• Madie Fornwalt: ND, 6.1 innings pitched, six hits allowed, walk, five strikeouts.  

IN RELIEF:

• Bry Michitson: L, (8-7), 1.2 innings pitched, one hit allowed, earned run, three strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Freshman Ali Sniegocki: 2-for-4, double, RBI.
• Freshman Anna Brait: 2-for-4.
• Senior Olivia Eckelman: 2-for-2, walk, stolen base.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Yurchick stranded two runners on in the bottom of the second striking out the final batter of the frame looking.
• From the end of the second to the end of the fourth, Yurchick punched out five of seven batters to keep the game scoreless.
• Yurchick stranded a runner at third base in the bottom of the sixth inducing a weak groundout to the circle.
• Sniegocki bashed a double off the left field fence to bring in the runner who was placed on second base in the top of the eighth.
• Yurchick completed the no-no getting the groundout on a close play at first base.

 
GAME TWO: CRUSADERS 1, WARRIORS 0 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Sophia Roncone: W, (4-12), complete game, shutout, one hit allowed, seven strikeouts, four walks.
• Katelyn Thompson: L, (1-6): complete game, two hits allowed, unearned run, six strikeouts, three walks.  

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Bailey Bates: 1-for-2, RBI, sacrifice fly.
• Junior Jessica Mott: 0-for-3, run scored, two stolen bases.
• Senior Kari Jacobson: 1-for-3, stolen base.
• Ellen Hubbard: 1-for-1, two walks, double, stolen base.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross immediately scored in the top of the first as Mott reached via error and stole second and third base with Bates batting. Bates lofted a sacrifice fly to left to score her teammate which resulted in the only run of the game.
• In the second, a Jacobson single and stolen base put a runner in scoring position, but the Crusaders could not cash in on the opportunity.
• Merrimack finally cracked the hit column in the sixth inning when Hubbard led off the frame with a full count double. She was stranded at second base.

 
DUE UP:

• Holy Cross returns to Patriot League play this weekend when they travel to Lafayette for a three game set on Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16.
• First pitch of the Saturday doubleheader is scheduled for noon.

 
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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