April 2, 2011
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
EASTON, Pa. - Holy Cross took two games from Lafayette on the opening weekend of Patriot League softball on Saturday at Metzgar Fields. The Crusaders scored three runs in the top of the seventh to win the opener 5-2. In the nightcap, Holy Cross stretched a one-run margin to six with a five-run seventh in the eventual 10-5 final.
The Leopards gave up a pair of runs in the top of the first of the noon game, one scoring on an RBI-single by Keeley Seniuk and another coming home via a Sam Fregenti groundout. An error on the Seniuk single aided the inning.
Lafayette evened the scored in the fourth. After a lead-off walk to Mary Episcopo, Stacey Kushner smoked a double just inside the leftfield line. Kristin Garganio sacrificed Kushner to third for the first out of the inning. Carly Feiro did the rest, moving Kushner the last 60 feet with a single to tie the game at 2-2.
The game was still knotted at 2-2 as it went to the seventh. With two aboard, Caitlin Belanger lifted a double over the centerfielder's head two score two. Holy Cross (8-12, 2-0) added an insurance run on an infield single to push the final to 5-2.
Melissa Robinson (1-7) threw all seven for the Leopards, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with four walks and one strikeout. Holy Cross' Julia Barrett improved her record to 4-0, allowing two runs on six hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts.
In game two, the Leopards again spotted the Crusaders two in the first, forcing Lafayette to play from behind.
Belanger led off the game with a triple and Alex Gustafson doubled right after. Two groundouts plated Gustafson for the 2-0 advantage.
Lafayette head coach Meaghan Asselta went to the bullpen in the second inning, lifting starter Ali Henry for Lauren Hasson with two outs in the inning. Hasson (0-5) pitched into the sixth, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
The long ball handed Lafayette (1-22, 0-2) its first lead of the afternoon in the home half of the fourth. Kushner led off with a home run to left centerfield. Garganio followed with a double Feiro's bunted her to third. The next batter, freshman Lauren Murphy, blasted a home run to left field and Lafayette led 3-2.
Holy Cross re-claimed the lead in the fifth. Gustafson (5-for-5) immediately tied the game with a homer over the wall in right. Seniuk, Fregenti (RBI-double) and Gwen Reimer followed with hits, leaving runners on the corners. Hasson worked her way out of the jam when Griffin cut down a runner at home on a groundout and caught another on a delayed steal. Holy Cross led 4-3.
The Crusaders batted around in the sixth inning to blow open the game. Gwen Reimer (single) and Kelliner Croushore (double) knocked in two runs apiece while Seniuk (single) plated one. Reimer finished the game 4-for-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Lafayette used back-to-back doubles by Kerry Griffin and Melanie Ruderman to score one run and pinch hitter Stacey Dorn scored Ruderman to run the final to 10-5.
Kali Haas (3-5) was the pitcher of record for Holy Cross, tossing 3.2 innings with two runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.
The teams close out the series with a Sunday doubleheader beginning at noon. Those games can be seen on Lafayette All-Access.
