WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross softball team fell twice in their home opener to nonconference opponent Stonehill Wednesday on Freshman Field dropping a 6-5 decision in game one before suffering a 7-4 defeat in game two which was called due to darkness.

The setbacks send the Crusaders to 7-13 on the young season while the Skyhawks improve to 6-16.

Senior Claire McCann was 2-for-6 (.333) in the twinbill with two RBI. Freshman Emma Pietrzak was 1-for-3 with a hit, and three walks while sophomore Anna Brait recorded a .714 on-base percentage across both games. Junior Callie Thibault hit her first homer of the season in game one.

Sophomore Ali Sniegocki reached base in both contests expanding her reached base streak to 15 games. Over those 15 games. Sniegocki is slashing .377/.411./.623 for a 1.034 OPS with three home runs, 12 RBI, four doubles, two stolen bases, 11 runs scored, 20 hits and two walks in that stretch.
 
GAME ONE: SKYHAWKS 6, CRUSADERS 5 (FINAL)
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Alexa Hospodar: W, (2-4), 5.0 innings pitched, six hits allowed, five earned runs, four walks, zero strikeouts.
• Sophomore Sophia Roncone: L, (2-6), 5.2 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, four earned runs, six walks, seven strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Freshman Avery Toddings: 0.1 innings pitched, one hit allowed, earned run, two walks.
• Skylar Brandemarte: S, (1), 2.0 innings pitched, walk, two strikeouts.
• Senior Megan Yurchick: 1.0 innings pitched, one hit allowed, two strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Junior Callie Thibault: 1-for-2, home run, two RBI, two runs scored, walk,
• Senior Claire McCann 1-for-3, two RBI.
• Sophomore Anna Brait: 1-for-3, run scored.
• Shannon Conte: 3-for-3, double, RBI, two walks, two runs scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• An RBI single for Stonehill notched the first run of the game in the top of the first.
• Stonehill loaded the bases in the top of the third, but could not scratch a run across.
• With two outs in the away half of the fourth, an RBI single on a 1-2 count expanded the Stonehill edge to 2-0.
• Thibault tied the game 2-2 with one swing of the bat belting a two-run shot clearing the left field fence in the fourth.
• Stonehill regained the lead in the fifth via an RBI single to center however a second run was gunned down at the plate by Sniegocki from center field.
• A two-out, two-run homer in the top of the sixth added important insurance for Stonehill.
• Holy Cross came within two in the bottom of the sixth when McCann went to the opposite field with the bases loaded and no outs to make it 6-4. A passed ball scored another run cutting the deficit to 6-5. The tying run was stranded at third base.

 
GAME TWO: SKYHAWKS 7, CRUSADERS 4 (FINAL)
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Skylar Brandemarte: W, (3-6), 5.0 innings pitched, six hits allowed, four runs – two earned, four walks, three strikeouts.
• Freshman Maya Gallagher: ND, 2.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, two earned runs.

IN RELIEF:

• Megan Yurchick: L, (4-6), 2.2 innings pitched, three hits allowed, five earned runs, four walks, two strikeouts.
• Sophia Roncone: 1.1 innings pitched, two walks, two strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-3.
• Emma Pietrzak: 1-for-1, run scored, two walks.
• Maya Gallagher: 1-for-1, RBI.
• Megan Yurchick: 1-for-1 double, RBI.
• Caelen Beaty: 1-for-2,RBI, two runs scored, two walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A single, a sacrifice bunt and a single into the gap pushed the Skyhawks ahead 1-0 in the top of the second. A groundout to second added another run to make it 2-0.
• In the second, Gallagher flared an RBI single to right to trim the deficit to one, 2-1.
• Stonehill put runners on first and second with no outs. Holy Cross made a pitching change that paid dividends. Senior Morgan Jensen gunned down a runner at third base for the first out of the inning. A groundout and a pop up ended the scoring threat.
• Yurchick tied the game with a first pitch opposite field double to right center in the bottom of the fourth.
• A five run fifth frame for Stonehill opened up the game at 7-2.

 
DUE UP:

• Holy Cross begins Patriot League play this Saturday, March 30 with a doubleheader at Lehigh (13-14, 3-0 PL).
• First pitch is slated for noon.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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