EASTON, Pa. –  Lafayette softball's Saturday split kept the Leopards in contention for the Patriot League Tournament field with seven games remaining in conference play.
 
In the opener the long ball accounted for all of Lafayette's runs. Regan Dillon and Katie Harrington's seventh-inning heroics proved to be the difference in a 5-3 final. The night cap was a reversal of game one, as Lafayette led for the majority before Holy Cross pounded out four runs in the sixth for a 4-2 final.
 
When the day started, it was a Holy Cross home run that set the tone early. Bella Nugent tagged a two-run shot in the second inning before contributing a sac fly in the third for the 3-0 lead.
 
The Leopards got things going in the top of the fourth. With a runner aboard, Caroline Hall ripped a 2-0 pitch over the wall in center to pull Lafayette within one. It was her fifth round tripper of the season.
 
Lafayette went into the seventh trailing 3-2, with Holy Cross stater Sophia Roncone still in the circle. Kylee Sweet's one-out double started things. Dillon followed on the next pitch with a two-run home run that handed Lafayette a 4-3 lead. With two outs in the inning, Harrington added an insurance run with her fifth home run of the season for the 5-3 final.
 
Sophia Alzarez-Backus pitched the final five innings to collect her third win of the season, allowing just one run on three hits. Roncone struck out seven but walked six while giving up five runs in five innings for loss.
 
In game two, Lafayette took the lead in the third inning, when Dani Rosner's infield single scored the speedy Olivia Catalina. The Leopards doubled their advantage in the fifth inning. Hall continued a solid afternoon, placing a ball through the left side of the infield to score Jessica Tejera.
 
The Leopards were cruising until the sixth. Leopard reliever Jordan Goedel retired the first two batters before walking a third. Broke Ventrelle doubled home the Crusaders' first run of the inning and singles by Silje Emery and Kate Trudgeon plated three more for the 4-2 lead.
 
In the visitor seventh, the Leopards put Tejera on via a single to lead off the inning, but first base was as far as she advanced. Holy Cross starter Bridget Mulkeen retired the next three batters to end the game. She gave up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts in the win. Goedel took the loss after surrendering four runs on three hits in two innings.    
 
Lafayette and Holy Cross will decide the series on Sunday with the first pitch moved up to 10:30 a.m. due to impending rain.