MISSOLUA, Mont. – The Holy Cross softball team earned another split during the second day of competition at the Montana Softball Classic earning a 5-3 victory in game one against NIU before falling 12-7 to host Montana during game two.
With the doubleheader split, the Crusaders move to 4-8 on the season while the Huskies slide to 4-12 and the Grizzlies improve to 9-15.
Holy Cross amassed 22 hits and had a team batting average of .349 across the two games. Sophomore
Anna Brait was 4-for-7 (.571) with a double, a home run and three RBI recording her fourth career three hit effort during game two. Sophomore
Jenna Alesandrelli bashed her first career home run in game one, sophomore
Ali Sniegocki extended her hitting streak to seven games while senior
Jessica Mott's reached base streak reached 10 contests.
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GAME ONE: CRUSADERS 5, HUSKIES 3 (FINAL)
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STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:
- Senior Megan Yurchick: ND, 3.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, three earned runs, walk, two strikeouts.
- Lily Cassell: L, (0-1), complete game, nine hits allowed, five earned runs, walk, three strikeouts.
IN RELIEF:
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- Sophomore Jenna Alesandrelli: 2-for-3, home run, RBI, run scored.
- Junior Callie Thibault: 2-for-3, double, RBI.
- Anna Brait: 1-for-3, double, RBI.
- Maya Gallagher: 1-for-2, RBI.
- Madison Mathews: 2-for-3, two doubles, RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- NIU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first for the contests first lead.
- Holy Cross trimmed the edge to one when Brait doubled to bring in Sniegocki making it 2-1.
- NIU stole third then advanced home on a throwing error to move the margin to 3-1.
- The Crusaders took the lead in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Thibault double, a Gallagher single and freshman Ava Gambichler sacrifice fly.
- Alesandrelli added insurance with a towering blast in the bottom of the sixth.
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GAME TWO: GRIZZLIES 12, CRUSADERS 7 (FINAL)
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STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:
- Grace Haegele: W (4-4), 4.0 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, four runs – three earned, walk, two strikeouts.
- Sophia Roncone: L (1-4), 2.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, six runs – three earned, two walks, three strikeouts. Â
IN RELIEF:
- Emmalyn Brinka: 3.0 innings pitched, six hits allowed, three earned runs, walk, strikeout.
- Freshman Avery Toddings: 2.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, one earned run, two walks.
- Maya Gallagher: 0.1 innings pitched, five hits allowed, five earned runs.
- Megan Yurchick: 1.2 innings pitched, one hit allowed, two strikeouts.
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- Anna Brait: 3-for-4, home run, two RBI, run scored.
- Ali Sniegocki: 2-for-4, RBI, run scored.
- Senior Morgan Jensen: 2-for-4, double, two RBI.
- Senior Claire McCann: 2-for-4.
- Junior Callie Thibault: 1-for-3, double, RBI, walk.
- Jessica Mott: 1-for-5, home run, RBI, run scored.
- Riley Stockton: 3-for-3, two doubles, four RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Mott belted the second pitch of the ballgame over the left centerfield fence for the 1-0 Crusader lead. Holy Cross loaded the bases but could add no more runs.
- Montana loaded the bases in the second and cleared them with two away to move ahead 3-1.
- The Grizzlies again loaded the bases in the bottom of the third and got another bases clearing double to advance the edge to 6-1.
- Trailing 7-1 in the top of the fifth, a Sniegocki fielder's choice RBI and a Brait two-run shot pulled the Crusaders within three at 7-4. With one out and two runners on, Jensen dropped an opposite field double just in front of the right fielder to drop the margin to one, 7-6.
- In the next half inning Montana got those five runs back to regain the multiple run edge.
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DUE UP:
- Holy Cross wraps up their spring break trip and stay in Montana tomorrow against NIU (4-12)
- First pitch is set for 2 p.m. EST.
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