WORCESTER, Mass. –Hartford softball split with Holy Cross, taking game on 2-1 and falling to in game two 1-0 Wednesday afternoon.
Freshman
Julianna Kocenski earned her 13th win in game one,as the Hawks improve to 19-27 overall. Senior Jackie Brewster and Alexandra Held had the Crusaders' only RBI's, as Holy Cross improves to 11-35 on the season.
GAME ONE: HARTFORD 2 HOLY CROSS 1
After a quiet first three innings, Hartford got on the board first in the top of the fourth. Freshman
Paige Fedak led off the inning with a single up the middle and then late in the inning advanced to second after senior Kylie Dazzalla grounded out to first. Sophomore
Kiana Harris then brought Fedak around to score, doubling to right center field for the 1-0 lead.
The Hawks added to its lead in the following inning. With one out, junior
Lily Sencer bunted her way aboard and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore
Nicolette Barranger. Sophomore
Danielle Rocheleau then singled, scoring Sencer and increasing Hartford's lead to two.
Holy Cross scored one run in the bottom of the seventh, but that is all the Crusaders' would manage, as the Hawks took game one 2-1.
GAME TWO: HOLY CROSS 1 HARTFORD 0
Game Two was a pitchers battle with the two teams combining for only two hits. The Crusaders scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning as senior Taylor Wahler tripled to right center field with one out. Brewster followed up the at bat, reaching on a fielder's choice, plating Wahler for the 1-0 lead.
The Hawks had its best opportunity in the top of the sixth as Sencer slashed a triple to right field with one out. Hartford, however, could not capitalize and Holy Cross took game two, 1-0.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Kocenski (13-14) went the distance in game one for the win, allowing one run, while scattering five hits and striking out three batters
- Junior Isabella Gerone (3-6) went six innings in game two, allowing one earned runs on two hits and striking out two
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford closes out its regular season with a weekend trip to Baltimore, Md., to face America East foe, UMBC. First pitch of the three-game tilt is set for 1 p.m. on Friday. With a victory, the Hawks can clinch an America East playoff spot for the first time since 2017.