Softball crushes Holy Cross 11-8 in doubleheader game

By Kaya DeAngelis

Softball split a doubleheader against Holy Cross on March 26. After losing 8-4 in an extra innings rally in the first game, the Skyhawks came back to crush the Crusaders 11-8.

Junior Lauren Donovan started the second game on the mound for the Skyhawks. She allowed nine hits over 5.2 innings of work, with six earned runs and three strikeouts. Donovan faced a tough offensive showing from Holy Cross, giving up three doubles and two home runs.

The Skyhawks' offense was explosive. Sophomore Piper Hofmann had a day, going 2-4 and smashing a two-run homer over the right field fence on the first pitch of her first at-bat.

After Hofmann recorded the first hit of the game with a home run, the Skyhawks singled and took advantage of a wild throw to get up 3-0 after the first inning. From there, they continued to rack up runs against Holy Cross, cruising to a 7-0 lead after only three innings, which included three 1-2-3 innings for Donovan and the Skyhawk defense.

The fourth inning was scoreless, as both defenses worked hard and left runners stranded. The Crusaders managed to score two in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run over the centerfield fence. Their offense continued to pepper the outfield, scoring four more in the sixth inning on a collection of doubles up the middle and another two-run homer.

The Skyhawks answered in the bottom of the sixth with a shot by Isabella Therrien over the left-center wall to score the last two runs of the game, bringing the Skyhawks to a whopping 11 runs against the Crusaders.

The offensive leader of the game was no doubt the freshman Melanie Snyder. She went 3-3 and not only recorded her first career homer in the fifth inning but also contributed three RBIs and a double.

Hofmann relieved Donovan in the middle of the sixth and finished the game for the Skyhawks, recording two strikeouts.

The Skyhawks will look to continue their hot streak on Wednesday, April 2 at Siena College.