7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Holy Cross 0 0 3 0 0 1 3 7 11 0 Lafayette 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 Box Score 0

EASTON, Pa. - Holy Cross scored three runs in the third and three more in the seventh to close out a 7-0 win over Lafayette softball on Sunday in the rubber match of the Patriot League opening series.

The visitors scored all of the offense they needed in the third inning. Pinch hitter Emily Jarvis led off by ripping a single through the right side. Two straight bunts, the first a sacrifice by Hailey Mullen, and the second a perfectly placed infield hit by Kylee Malouf, put Jarvis on third with one out. The next batter, Sarah Free, hit a fly ball to left that was dropped and left runners on second and third with one out. Emma Keough made it a big inning for the Crusaders, doubling to right centerfield to score two runs while handing Holy Cross a 3-0 lead.

Holy Cross (3-8, 2-1) added an insurance run in the sixth on Sarah Kane's RBI-single and then three more in the seventh. Kane (2-for-3, 3 RBI) had the big hit again, knocking in a pair of runs with a single to left.

The Leopards (2-13, 1-2) didn't get their bats going until the bottom of the fifth as Holy Cross starter Gennifer Durham retired the first 13 batters of the game. Bryn Gornick and Stephanie Schreiber each singled in the fifth, but Lafayette could not get on the scoreboard. Durham, whose change of speeds to kept the Leopards off kilter, struck out two while scattering three hits with no walks.

Lafayette's final at-bat saw Kristyn Marinelli lead off with a double to the gap in right centerfield, but Durham (2-4) retired the next three batters in order to finish the game. Melissa Robinson (2-6) took the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) on 11 hits with two strikeouts.

The Leopards return to action on Wednesday, playing a doubleheader at Delaware State at 2 p.m.