WORCESTER, MA ? The University of Hartford softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader at Holy Cross on Tuesday at Freshman Field.
Hartford (15-13 overall) brought leads into the bottom of the seventh inning in both games, but Holy Cross (5-22 overall) came through with walk-off hits in each case. The Crusaders scored four runs in the final frame to pull out a 7-6 win in the first game before plating two runs for an 8-7 victory in the nightcap.
The Hawks jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first game. A sacrifice bunt by junior Jackie Simonetty plated a run in the first, and Hartford added two more in the second on an RBI single by sophomore Ann Kyzer and an RBI double by junior Lindsey Anrico. Junior Amanda Sais led off the third with a double and scored on the play due to a Holy Cross error. The Hawks tacked on their final two runs in the fifth on a two-out, two-run homer by sophomore Olivia Piacentini.
Freshman Amanda Singer entered the game in relief in the second inning and had few problems until the fifth. She gave up three runs on three hits in the frame, but the Hawks still led 6-3 as she worked her way out of trouble.
Holy Cross rallied in the seventh for the game-winning runs, pounding out three hits and drawing two walks to score four times. The Crusaders trailed 6-5 with one out and runners at second and third when Courtney Nealon ended the game with a base hit.
Singer gave up seven runs on eight hits while walking six and striking out two. She dropped to 4-7 overall on the season.
In the second game, the Hawks trailed 2-0 early but scored three runs in the third inning to grab the lead. Sophomore Sara Messinger had an RBI single and classmate Amanda Dilworth had an RBI double in the frame, and junior Danielle Glantz provided the final run by scoring from third on a wild pitch.
Holy Cross answered with two runs in the second and another in the third to take a 5-3 lead. Hartford came back with three more runs in the fourth, the first two scoring on a single by Sais. After the Crusaders tied the game at 6-6 with a run in the fifth, the Hawks went ahead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Messinger.
Holy Cross got the leadoff batter on in the seventh tied the game on a groundout by Nealon. Then, with two outs, Keeley Seniuk slammed her second homer of the game, a solo walk-off shot that won the game for the Crusaders. Hartford freshman Amanda Farnan took the loss in the circle, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 16 hits over 6.2 innings.
Hartford will next play at Fairfield University on Thursday, April 17.
