Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2

EASTON, Pa. -- Lafayette claimed its first Patriot League series of the season by taking the final two series games against Holy Cross on Sunday, 9-4 and 10-9 at Metzgar Fields.

In game one, Brooke Wensel (3-for-3, 2 RBI) and Allison Brown (2-for-3, 3 RBI) combined to drive in five runs. The Leopards were buoyed by strong defense and a solid relief pitching performance by Lindsey Cherry who earned her the first of two saves on the afternoon.

In game two, Lafayette scored three or more runs in three different innings and held on for a 10-9 decision. Samantha Sweigart was 2-for-3 with three RBI and Stephanie Thomas and Jenna Didio drove in two runs apiece.

GAME 1

After spotting Holy Cross a run in the top of the first, it didn't take long for the Leopards to tie things up. Lead-off hitter Sweigart blasted the first pitch over the wall. Two batters later, freshman Brooke Wensel hit her first career home run, ripping an elevated offering out to left for a 2-1 lead.

The tandem was at it again in the third. Sweigart took a pitch for the team with one out in the inning. Jenna Orlando bunted her into scoring position and Wensel did the rest, cracking an RBI-single to left centerfield for the 3-1 lead.

Lafayette starting pitcher Kristyn Marinelli had retired eight in a row entering the fourth, but walked the first batter. Two batters later, Mandy McCarthy tied the game (3-3) with a two-run home run.

The Leopards defense was solid throughout the first game. In the second inning, Jenna Orlando and Morgan Biddle showed their range, getting to balls in the gaps for all three outs. In the third, Miranda Skurla made a spectacular play at the hot corner, diving to snare a liner.

Lafayette broke the tie in the fourth inning. The Leopards had runners on second and third with two outs and Biddle at the plate. Biddle battled with two strikes and eventually Gennifer Durham uncorked an offering in the dirt to score Maddie Wensel from third. Biddle then stretched Lafayette's lead to 5-3 with a run-scoring double.

Marinelli struck out the first two batters of the fifth inning, but gave up a solo home run to Taylor Moss that sliced the Leopard lead to 5-4 and prompted Lafayette head coach Jexx Varner to go to Cherry out of the bullpen. Cherry got the final out of the inning on a hot grounder to Sweigart at second.

Brooke Wensel's third hit of the day led off the home fifth. The next batter, Brown, pulled a double down the leftfield line for the 6-4 advantage. Cherry continued to battle in the sixth and used another liner stab by Skurla to end inning with the 6-4 Leopard lead intact.

Lafayette put away the game with three runs in the sixth. Biddle reached on her second single of the day and then Durham hit Sweigart for the third time on the afternoon after Sweigart's lead-off home run. With runners on second and third and two outs, Brown smacked a single to left to score two runs. The ball got away from the fielder, allowing Maddie Wensel to score.

Marinelli (3-6) earned the win, allowing four runs in 4.2 innings. She struck out four and walked three. Cherry garnered her first save of the season, throwing the final 2.1 innings while scattering two hits and striking out two. Durham was the loser, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits with six strikeouts and four hit batters.

GAME 2

In the nightcap, a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair saw Lafayette score three runs in the sixth to hang on for a 10-9 final.

The Leopards gave up three runs in the first (two on two-run McCarthy homer), but answered with four of their own. With the bases loaded, Stephanie Thomas pulled a ball through the left side for the first run. Didio (fielder's choice), Sweigart and Jenna Orlando (sac fly) also drove in runs as Lafayette snatched the 4-3 lead.

Lafayette added three more in the third inning. Biddle singled back through the box to score Brown. Sweigart plated two more runs with a single to left as Lafayette led 7-4.

Holy Cross (6-23, 2-4) evened the game by scoring three runs in the fourth to tie the game at 7-7. Lafayette committed two errors in an inning in which Stacy Gordon entered the game and got the final two outs.

The rest of the offense that Lafayette needed came in the sixth inning. Sweigart's lead-off walk produced a Holy Cross pitching chance and led to a run. Brooke Wensel and Didio each drove in runs with a fielder's choice and Thomas came through again with an RBI-single as Lafayette 10-7.

As the game went to the seventh, Gordon was in the circle looking to close it out. The first two batters reached on an error and a single, prompting Cherry to enter in her second save situation of the day. McCarthy singled in a run and another came plateward on a sac fly as Holy Cross pulled within a run, 10-9.

Rebecca Dvorak cut down a runner at second on a stolen base attempt for the second out of the inning. The Crusaders had the bases loaded with two outs before Cherry got Jaclyn Brewster to hit a rocket on the ground to first that Brown collected and ended the game.

Gordon improved to 4-4 with the win, allowing one earned run on one hit over three innings. Cherry gave up three hits in the save. Alexandra Held took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits in three innings of work.

Lafayette (10-22, 2-7) travels to Villanova on Thursday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.