WORCESTER, Mass. – The University of Hartford softball team swept a doubleheader from non-conference foe Holy Cross, 11-8 and 7-3, at Freshman Field on Wednesday afternoon. Hartford improves to 10-6 overall (1-2 AE) while Holy Cross drops to 4-14 on the season.

Freshman Nicole Springer and sophomore Siera Sheehan each had strong outings inside the circle against the Crusaders. Springer earned her first collegiate win in game one and Sheehan allowed just three earned runs to lead the Hawks past Holy Cross in game two.

Springer allowed eight runs – seven earned – on 10 hits in six innings. The rookie not only had a solid performance inside the circle; at the plate, she went 2-for-3, scored a pair of runs and drove in three. Junior Amanda Dilworth finished 3-for-4 with three runs while rookie Melani Maxwell notched a homer for the first hit of her collegiate career.

The Hawks wasted little time in game one as they lit up the scoreboard for four runs in the first inning. The Hartford line-up led off with three-straight singles by Dilworth, Jessica Oliveira and Springer, the latter scoring the Hawks' second baseman for the first run of the game. With runners on second and third, seniors Rachel Clonick and Ann Kyzer worked walks off Holy Cross hurler Audette to plate Oliveira and keep the bases juiced. An infield ground out by Jordan Haines allowed Springer to score and with just one down, sophomore Erica Phelps launched a sac fly, scoring Clonick for the inning's final run.

Hartford added a single run to the scoreboard in the top of the second but Holy Cross responded with three of its own to cut the Hawks' lead to 5-3. The Crusaders followed with a pair of runs in the third to knot the score at 5-5.

The Hawks answered with five runs in the fourth followed by a single run in the fifth to take a commanding 11-5 lead over the Crusaders. With no outs in the frame and the bases full, Springer crushed a two-run single to centerfield that was inches from clearing the fence. Following a pitching change that saw Alexander replace Audette, Clonick fired a single to left field off the fresh arm to load up the bases allowing singles by Kyzer and Haines to score two more runs. The Hawks' final run of the frame came on a fly-out in foul territory that allowing Clonick to cross home.

Maxwell's lead-off solo shot cushioned Hartford's lead. Holy Cross managed to scratch a single run across the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth and followed with a pair of runs in the seventh, but could not come back from the seven run deficit.

In the nightcap, Hartford faced a 3-0 deficit after the third inning but used four-straight hits to reel off a three-run rally and knot the score in the fifth. The Hawks did all of their damage with zero outs as Lauren Kamena and Dilworth led off with back-to-back singles. The duo, who advanced 60-feet on a wild pitch by Crusaders' hurler Belanger, reached home on a double smacked to the left field gap by rookie Jessica Oliveira. Classmate Springer followed with a bases-clearing double to dead centerfield. Belanger managed to pitch out of the jam as she put down the next three Hartford batters in order.

With the game deadlocked at 3-3 heading into the final inning, the Hawks broke the game open and dented the scoreboard with four runs to take a 7-3 advantage. Belanger, herself going for a complete game, walked Springer to open the seventh. Following two-straight strikeouts, pinch runner Shannon Simpkins advanced 60-feet to scoring position on a stolen base. A single off the bat of Clonick plated the speedy Simpkins for the go-ahead run. Rookie Kate Wacyk induced a walk off of Belanger allowing a perfectly placed double in the left field gap off the bat of Sara Messinger to score the Hawks' final pair of runs.

In its final at-bats, Holy Cross led off with a single but could not manage any more base runners off Sheehan to piece together a comeback.

Eight Hawks accounted for 10 hits with Springer finishing 3-for-3 in game two with an RBI. Sheehan scattered eight hits over seven innings allowing three earned runs. The pitcher improves to 3-4 on the season.

Hartford returns to action this weekend when it hosts the Albany Great Danes for a three-game conference series. The Hawks and Great Danes will open with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 3 (1:00 p.m.) and will close out the series with a single game on Sunday, April 4 (12:00 p.m.).