PRINCESS ANNE, MD – The Holy Cross softball team earned its first wins of the 2026 season after sweeping Wednesday's doubleheader with Maryland Eastern Shore. 

Game one saw senior pitcher, Sophia Roncone, throw her 30th career complete game, striking out 12 batters, and allowing just two hits. Freshman designated player, Bella Nugent, hit a go-ahead two-run double in the top of the fifth inning to help the Crusaders earn their first victory of the 2026 season by a final score of 4-2.

Game two featured similar dominance in the circle as freshman pitcher Bridget Mulkeen and Nugent combined for a complete game shutout. Mulkeen pitched six scoreless innings with six strikeouts while Nugent finished it off in the seventh. Junior first baseman Emma Pietrzak led the Crusaders at the plate, ripping a two-run double in top of the third to break the game open. Holy Cross would go on to win game two 4-0.

GAME ONE: HOLY CROSS 4, MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE 2 (FINAL)

STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Holy Cross: Sophia Roncone (W, 1-2), 7.0 inning pitched, two hits allowed, two runs (none earned), 12 strikeouts, three walks, HBP
• UMES: Dani Brown (L, 2-5), 7.0 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, four runs (three earned), four strikeouts, two walks, two HBP

AT THE PLATE:

• Bella Nugent: 1-for-3, double, walk, two RBI
• Kate Trudgen: 2-for-3, double, run
• Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-3,walk, RBI
• Emma Pietrzak: 2-for-3, run
• Emily Balducci: 1-for-1
• Skylar Skinner: 1-for-2, double, walk, RBI

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Sniegocki singled up the middle in the top of the first and drove in Trudgen for the first run of the day.
• UMES took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third after Jada Lacey reached on an error, allowing Amaya Nunez and Skylar Skinner to score.
• Nugent stayed hot at the plate, ripping a two-run double to left-center in the top of the fifth to put the Crusaders in front, 3-2.
• Sophomore pinch-hitter Emily Balducci snuck a ball through the right side to bring around Pietrzak in the top of the sixth, extending the lead to 4-2.
• Roncone struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.

GAME TWO: HOLY CROSS 4, MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE 0 (FINAL)

STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Holy Cross: Bridget Mulkeen (W, 1-0), 6.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, no runs, six strikeouts, four walks
• UMES: Chloe Weber (L, 0-2), 4.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, four runs (three earned), two walks, HBP

IN RELIEF: 

• Holy Cross: Bella Nugent, 1.0 inning pitched, three hits allowed, no runs, strikeout
• UMES: Paris Richards, 3.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, no runs, strikeout, two walks

AT THE PLATE:

• Brooke Ventrelle: 2-for-3
• Bella Nugent: 1-for-3, double, HBP, two runs
• Emma Pietrzak: 1-for-2, double, walk, two RBI
• Kate Trudgen: 1-for-4
• Ali Sniegocki: 0-for-3, walk, run
• Mackenzie Crerand: 0-for-2, walk, run, stolen base
• Ava Gambichler: 0-for-2, RBI, SAC fly
• Emma Horrocks: 1-for-1
• Skylar Skinner: 3-for-4, two stolen bases

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross got on the board in the top of the first as a pair of errors on the same play allowed Siegocki to reach base and Nugent to score.
• Junior shortstop Ava Gambichler brought in freshman catcher Mackenzie Crerand on a SAC fly to center field to make it 2-0 in the top of the second.
• Pietrzak belted a double to right-center in the top of the third, scoring Sniegocki and Nugent to make it 4-0.
• Holy Cross held UMES scoreless for the entirety of the game and secured the shutout victory.

UP NEXT: 

• The Crusaders head to Norfolk, Va., this weekend for their final tournament of the regular season, the Spartan Round Up. Holy Cross will square off against Fairleigh Dickinson, North Dakota and host Norfolk State over the course of the weekend.
• Day one of the tournament will see the Crusaders play a doubleheader against FDU and Norfolk State.
• First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with game two set to begin at 5:00 p.m.

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