EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette softball used a strong pitching performance from Morrigan Gardiner and timely hitting throughout its lineup to secure a 3-2 win over Holy Cross in the series finale on Monday afternoon.
 
Freshmen Kylee Sweet and Megan Coyle and senior Grace Harvey all drove in runs for the Leopards who put up single runs in the second, third and fifth innings en route to the conference victory.
 
The teams traded runs in the second inning, with Holy Cross scoring on an error with two outs.
 
The Leopards got that run back quickly. With Paige Sandidge aboard, Harvey (2-for-3) smashed a double into the gap in right center field to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Gardiner ran into a bit of trouble in the visitor third. The first two batters reached via singles, but Harlie Bickett came up with a diving play at third to cut down a runner trying to snag an extra base on an infield single. Bickett ended the inning with a 6-3 double play on a liner to keep the game tied at 1-1.
 
Lafayette took the lead for good in the bottom of the third. Bickett's lead-off triple, her second in the series, set the stage for the go-ahead run. Sweet plated Bickett (2-for-3) with an RBI-groundout, and Lafayette led 2-1.
 
In the fifth inning, Coyle (2-for-3) added some insurance for the Leopards, blasting a Sophia Roncone offering over the wall in right center field for the 3-1 advantage.  
 
Lafayette held that lead into the top of the seventh. Holy Cross benefited from a lead-off walk to Emma Fong who later scored on Anna Brait's two-out single up the middle. Gardiner closed out the game by striking out the Crusaders' cleanup hitter to clinch the 3-2 final.
 
Gardiner allowed one earned run on nine hits over seven innings for the victory. Roncone surrendered three runs on seven hits to go along with eight strikeouts.
 
The Leopards will be back in action this weekend with a three-game home series vs. Syracuse on Saturday and Sunday.