NORFOLK, Va. – The Holy Cross softball team split the second day of the Spartan Round Up in Norfolk, Va. The Crusaders fell 3-1 against North Dakota in game one but found their offense late against Norfolk State in game two, earning a 13-7 victory.

Sophomore catcher Emily McCandless had an outstanding day at the plate in game two. She finished the game 3-for-5 with six RBI thanks to a grand slam in the third inning and a double in the sixth.

GAME ONE: HOLY CROSS 1, NORTH DAKOTA 3 (FINAL)

STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Holy Cross: Avery Toddings (L, 0-3), 4.0 inning pitched, six hits allowed, three runs (three earned), four strikeouts, four walks
• NDU: Tehya Armstrong (W, 4-2), 6.1 innings pitched, six hits allowed, one run (one earned), eight strikeouts, two walks

IN RELIEF:

• Holy Cross: Bridget Mulkeen, 2.0 innings pitched, no runs, two strikeouts, walk
• NDU: Tegan Livesay (S, 3), 1.0 inning pitched,no hits allowed, no runs

AT THE PLATE:

• Kate Trudgen: 1-for-3, walk, stole base
• Bella Nugent: 1-for-3
• Ali Sniegocki: 1-for-3, run
• Mackenzie Crerand: 1-for-3
• Brooke Ventrelle: 1-for-3
• Kendall Grady: 1-for-3
• Taya Hopfauf: 2-for-3, home-run, RBI, run

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• North Dakota got on the board first after Katelyn Neumayer was walked with the bases loaded, bringing in Chloe Bethune to make it 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning.
• NDU extended its lead to 3-0 thanks to runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
• Holy Cross broke the shutout in the top of the sixth when senior Ali Sniegocki scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
• North Dakota closed it out and handed the Crusaders a 3-1 loss.

GAME TWO: HOLY CROSS 13, NORFOLK STATE 7(FINAL)

STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Holy Cross: Sophia Roncone, 0.1 innings pitched, two hits allowed, three runs (three earned), three walks
• Norfolk State: Kailey Bryant, 2.1 innings pitched, seven hits allowed, five runs (five earned), two walks

IN RELIEF: 

• Holy Cross: Bella Nugent, 3.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, three runs (one earned), two walks
• Avery Toddings (W, 4-3), 3.2 innings pitched, three hits allowed, one run (one earned), five strikeouts, walk
• Norfolk State: Samantha Stevenson (L, 1-1), 2.2 innings pitched, six hits allowed, six runs (none earned), strikeout, walk
• Amaya McPherson, 2.0 innings pitched, three hits allowed, two runs

AT THE PLATE:

• Silje Emery: 2-for-4, walk, two runs
• Kate Trudgen: 3-for-5, RBI, run
• Bella Nugent: 1-for-5, double, two RBI, run
• Ali Sniegocki: 2-for-5, three runs, stolen base
• Emma Pietrzak: 1-for-4, walk, three RBI, two runs
• Emily McCandless: 3-for-5, double, grand slam, six RBI, run
• Brooke Ventrelle: 2-for-3, walk
• Kendall Grady: 2-for-4, run

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Norfolk State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to RBI knocks from Bristyl Riddick and Peyton Moran.
• Holy Cross' offense came alive in the top of the third thanks to an RBI double by freshman Bella Nugent and grand slam by McCandless, making it 5-3.
• The Spartans retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth, capitalizing on Crusader errors to move ahead 6-5.
• An RBI single by Morris increased Norfolk State's lead to 7-5.
• Holy Cross exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of multiple Norfolk State errors to make it 12-7. Junior Emma Pietrzak drove in two with a single to center and McCandless plated another pair with a double to left.  
• Another error by the Spartans in the top of the seventh allowed Sniegocki to score, increasing the lead to 13-3.

UP NEXT: 

• The Crusaders close out the Spartan Round Up on Sunday, Mar. 8 with a single game against North Dakota.
• First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m.

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