April 29, 2000

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Lafayette softball led 2-0 after the first inning of play this afternoon, but Holy Cross tacked six runs on the board in the bottom of the third and ended the game early with a 10-2 win over No. 3 seed Lafayette. With the loss, the Leopards were eliminated from the double-elimination Patriot League Championship Tournament.

The Leopards wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, holding a 1-0 lead after just two batters. Leadoff hitter Mara Shainheit (Mt. Holly, N.J./Ravicocas Valley) singled, part of a 2-for-2 day, and advanced to second on an error by the centerfielder. The next batter, Becky Chmielowski (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood) showed why she is an All-Patriot League second-teamer, screaming a single that drove in Shainheit from second. Chmielowski advanced to second on the play at the plate, and then advanced to third on Gina Galati's (McMurray, Pa./Canon-McMillian) fly-out to right. Kelly Wise (Whitestone, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) doubled through the right side to bring in Chmielowski and give the 'Pards a 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the two first-inning runs were all the offense Lafayette could manage. Holy Cross quickly answered, scoring two in the bottom of the second inning to tie things up, and then exploded for six runs on six hits in the bottom of the third, chasing starting pitcher Kathy Vassos, who picked up the loss, dropping her to 1-6 on the season.

Erin Hall (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) came in an quieted the Crusaders, but couldn't stop them from scoring two in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game on an eight-run rule.

Lafayette finishes the season out with a 6-20 overall record, 4-6 in the league.

Patriot League softball tournament action continues tomorrow at Patriot's Park in Allentown, Pa., beginning at noon, when Lehigh plays Colgate in the loser's bracket final. The winner of that game faces off against Army, who defeated top-seeded Lehigh 2-1 to earn the right to be in the championship.