WORCESTER, Mass. – Senior center fielder
Connor Cooney went 1-for-3 with a triple and a career-high three stolen bases as the Holy Cross baseball team earned a 4-1 nonconference victory against Yale on Wednesday evening at Fitton Field.
The win moves the Crusaders to 16-18 overall while the loss sends the Bulldogs to 18-9.
As a team Holy Cross stole five bases in the matchup giving them giving them 84 on the season. The Crusaders need one more steal to match the team record of 85 set during the 1999 season and two more pilfers to establish a new program mark. Junior right fielder
CJ Egrie tied the program's single-season steal mark (Evan Ocello 24, 2014) with his theft of third base in the bottom of the seventh inning. The leadoff hitter is one steal away from a new single-season program record.
From the sixth inning on, the Crusaders bullpen allowed only two hits and four free passes. Freshman
Jake Lenahan earned his fourth career save with a shutdown ninth inning.
STARTING ON THE MOUND:
- Sophomore Thomas Skrobe: (ND), 2.0 innings pitched, one hit allowed, zero runs, zero walks, one strikeout.
- Mick Kelley: (ND), 1.0 innings pitched, zero hits allowed, zero runs, zero walks, two strikeouts.
OUT OF THE BULLPEN:
- Senior Augie Walters: (W, 1-2): 1.1 innings pitched, zero hits allowed, zero earned runs, zero walks, two strikeouts.
- Freshman Jake Lenahan (S, 4): 1.0 innings pitched, zero hits allowed, zero earned runs, one walk, one strikeout.
- Teo Spadaccini: (L, 1-1): 1.1 innings pitched, two hits allowed, one earned run, zero walks, zero strikeouts.
STEPPING TO THE PLATE:
- CJ Egrie: 2-for-3, three runs scored, walk, two stolen bases.
- Connor Cooney: 1-for-3, triple, run scored, walk, three stolen bases.
- Sophomore John LaFleur: 1-for-3, two RBI, walk.
- Senior Chris Baillargeon: 1-for-2, two walks.
- Senior Jimmy King: 1-for-4, double.
- Garrett Larsen: 1-for-5, RBI
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A leadoff walk and a King double put runners at second and third with no outs in the top of the second. Yale recorded three straight outs to end the frame.
- An infield bunt single scored a runner from third with two outs in the top of the third which opened up the scoring putting the Bulldogs ahead 1-0. Freshman backstop Nick Spaner caught a runner stealing for the final out of the inning.
- Egrie reached via walk in the third and stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Senior Sean Scanlon drove him in with an RBI groundout to shortstop to tie the game 1-1.
- LaFleur grounded into a fielder's choice which scored Egrie from third to give the Crusaders their first lead 2-1.
- Cooney tripled with one down in the sixth and sophomore third baseman Ryan Grundy plated his teammate using an RBI groundout for the 3-1 Crusader lead.
- With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh, Egrie made a diving catch in right center field to keep the Crusaders ahead 3-1.
- LaFleur dropped down a perfect bunt in the seventh with one out to score an important insurance run making it 4-1.
- Walters didn't allow a base runner in his 1.1 innings of work and Lenahan shut the door in the ninth.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
DUE UP:
- Holy Cross heads back on the road on Saturday, April 12 for a Patriot League doubleheader against Bucknell (12-19, 4-8 PL).
- First pitch is slated for noon.
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