EASTON, Pa. – The Holy Cross softball team completed a Sunday doubleheader sweep of Patriot League foe Lafayette defeating the hosts 3-2 in game one before earning a 7-3 victory in game two at the Lafayette Softball Field.

The victories send the Crusaders to 13-27, 2-9 PL while the defeats drop the Leopards to 5-29-1, 1-10 PL. Holy Cross has won four straight contests and five of their last six. Game one was picked up on Sunday during the top of the third following a Saturday suspension due to weather.

In game one, freshman pitcher Sophia Roncone tallied her second career double-digit strikeout performance mowing down 10 batters.

Junior Jessica Mott recorded her 100th career hit leading off game two. Mott has 101 career knocks and is 44 away from reaching the program's top-10.

Freshman Anna Brait was 3-for-4 at the dish with her second three hit and four RBI game of the year in game two. Brait is the team leader in multiple hit games (11) and multiple RBI games (6). Senior Bailey Bates reached in all four plate appearances in game two and had a .714 on-base percentage across both Sunday contests.
 
GAME ONE: CRUSADERS 3, LEOPARDS 2 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Megan Yurchick: ND, 0.0 innings pitched, two earned runs, two walks, one hit allowed
• Morrigan Gardiner: L, (1-8), complete game, eight hits allowed, three runs – two earned, five strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Freshman Sophia Roncone: W, (5-12), 7.0 innings pitched, two hits allowed, four walks, 10 strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Junior Jessica Mott: 2-for-4, double, triple, two RBI run scored.
• Senior Kari Jacobson: 3-for-3, two runs scored.
• Freshman Anna Brait: 1-for-3.
• Senior Bailey Bates: 1-for-3.
• Kylee Sweet: 1-for-3, run scored, walk.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Three straight batters reached to begin the bottom of the first. A bases loaded walk brought home the first run of the game. A sacrifice fly expanded the lead to 2-0 in favor of the Leopards early.
• Mott got the Crusaders on the board smacking a double to bring in Bates in the top of the third to cut the lead in half at 2-1. Bates legged out an infield single to tie the game. When the game resumed the Brait singled to center to put runners at the corners and no outs. On a steal attempt, Bates was cut down at home the Lafayette got out of trouble.
• In the fifth, an infield single by Jacobson and an opposite field triple by Mott pushed the Crusaders ahead 3-2.
• The Leopards put the lead off runner on in the bottom of the seventh. A foul bunt resulted in the second out of the frame. Roncone then punched out the last batter of the game looking for her 10th strikeout.

 
GAME TWO: CRUSADERS 7, LEOPARDS 3 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Megan Yurchick W, (8-13), complete game, four hits allowed, three runs – zero earned, walk, six strikeouts.
• Jacqueline Cal: L, (2-8), 4.0 innings pitched, eight hits allowed, five earned runs, three walks, two strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Kailee Sawai: 3.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, two earned runs, walk, two strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Anna Brait: 3-for-4, two doubles, four RBI.
• Jessica Mott: 2-for-5, run scored.
• Senior Peyton Morehouse: 2-for-4 run scored, RBI.
• Bailey Bates: 2-for-2, RBI, two runs scored, two walks.
• Senior Olivia Eckelman: 1-for-3, walk, run scored, two stolen bases.
• Junior Claire McCann: 1-for-4, home run, RBI, run scored.
• Kaili Reitano: 1-for-3, run scored, RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Mott continued her hot hitting stroking a single to lead off the game. With two runners on, Brait singled to center to plate the first run and give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead.
• Some two out hitting for the hosts which included a throwing error put them ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the first.
• With two outs in the top of the second, Brait cleared the bases to move the Crusaders back ahead 4-3 when she smoked an opposite field double to left.
• Brait recorded her third hit of the game and second double going the opposite away again to add onto the lead.
• A McCann home run and Bates RBI single increased the edge to 7-3 in the top of the fifth.

 
DUE UP:

• Holy Cross ends the three game Patriot League set on Monday, April 17.
• First pitch is slated for noon.

 
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