WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross softball freshman Sophia Roncone struck out a career-high 18 batters during a 13 inning game one 1-0 victory against nonconference opponent Hartford Thursday.

Holy Cross earned a split falling 6-5 in game two versus Hartford. The split sends the Crusaders to 8-23 while the Hawks move to 11-12.

Roncone relieved junior Megan Yurchick in the circle during the fourth inning with the bases loaded. She promptly struck out the side to strand the runners. She retired 10 of the first 12 batters she faced via strikeout and allowed only four hits in 10 innings of work.

The 18 strikeouts were the most in a single game by a Patriot League pitcher this year and tie for the fifth most in the NCAA (NiJaree Canady, Stanford and Stephanie Schoonover, Kentucky). Roncone's 18 punch outs were the most in a game by a Crusader since Kelly Nelson stuck out 15 on March 27, 2021.
 
GAME ONE: CRUSADERS 1, HAWKS 0 (FINAL – 13 INN.):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Junior Megan Yurchick: ND, 3.0 innings pitched, five hits allowed, two walks, zero earned runs.
• Lauren Card: ND, 9.2 innings pitched, 11 hits allowed, three walks, five strikeouts, zero earned runs.

IN RELIEF:

• Sophia Roncone: W, (2-10), 10.0 innings pitched, career-high 18 strikeouts, four hits allowed, four walks.
• Caylee English: L, (3-7), 3.0 innings pitched, earned run, three strikeouts.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Senior Bailey Bates: 3-for-6, double.
• Senior Kari Jacobson: 3-for-4, RBI, sacrifice hit.
• Freshman Ali Sniegocki: 2-for-6, double.
• Mara Sczenienski: 2-for-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• With two outs in the top of the third, a triple into the right center field gap sent Emily Coffey home and she was thrown out at the plate by Snegocki and Jacobson with the tag applied by junior Morgan Jensen to keep the game scoreless.
• Yurchick loaded the bases in the top of the fourth and was relieved by Roncone. She promptly struck out the side to strand the bases loaded kept it a 0-0 contest.
• In the fifth the Crusaders had runners on second and third with two away, but could not cross the plate.
• During the top of the 12, the Hawks loaded the bases with two outs and Roncone induced a pop out to end the frame.
• Bates led off the home half of the 12th smoking a double to left field, she was stranded in scoring position as the game remained tied 0-0.
• Sophomore Callie Thibault legged out an infield single in the 13th inning and was sacrificed to second. Classmate Jena Whipple pinch ran and advanced to third base. Jacobson slapped an opposite field single to left for the winning run.

 
GAME TWO: HAWKS 6, CRUSADERS 5 (FINAL):
 
STARTING IN THE CIRCLE:

• Caylee English: W, (4-7), complete game, eight hits allowed, five runs – two earned, walk, five strikeouts.
• Megan Yurchick: L, (6-12), five hits allowed, five earned runs, five strikeouts.

IN RELIEF:

• Senior Audrey Gusel: 2.1 innings pitched, three hits allowed, earned run, walk, strikeout.

STEPPING TO THE PLATE:

• Kelsey Galevich: 2-for-3, home run, double, RBI, two runs scored.
• Taylor Fitch: 1-for-3, RBI.
• Megan Yurchick: 2-for-3, run scored, two doubles.
• Junior Jessica Mott: 2-for-4, two RBI, run scored.
• Callie Thibault: 1-for-3, double, RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Hartford led off the second with a double to center. With two away, Fitch singled on a dribbler just in front of the plate and advanced to third on an error to take the lead 1-0.
• Holy Cross leveled the margin 1-1 when Mott singled to left to score senior Oliva Eckelman from second base in the bottom of the third.
• The Hawks jumped back ahead as Galevich bashed a solo tater to center to regain the lead 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
• The Crusaders regained the lead 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth as a throwing miscue tied the game and Thibault bashed an opposite field double into the right center field gap.
• Three runs by the Hawks in the fifth including an Oliva Wolk double and Mara Sczenie single moved the guests back ahead 5-3.
• An RBI double in the sixth added insurance to the Hawk lead at 6-3.
• Holy Cross pulled within two, 6-4 when Mott singled up the middle scoring Yurchick with one away. Brait stepped in and the Hawk's left fielder dropped a fly ball to score another run but she was thrown out at second base to end the game.

DUE UP:

• Holy Cross will return to conference play on Saturday at Colgate for a doubleheader.
• First pitch is slated for 12 and 2 p.m.

 
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