Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. - Featuring nine hits along with nine strikeouts from senior Melanie Russell, the Boston University softball team posted a 4-3 victory at Holy Cross Sunday afternoon.

The Terriers (23-21, 9-5 PL) had previously claimed a point in the all-sports Turnpike Trophy competition by winning both contests on Saturday against the Crusaders (7-33, 3-12 PL) and followed up with their fourth one-run victory of the season for the weekend sweep.

Senior Melanie Russell (10-8) went the distance for the eighth time this year and collected nine strikeouts against two walks while allowing one earned run off five hits. She finished the weekend with 14 combined strikeouts in 12.2 innings of work against the Crusaders to be named Turnpike Trophy MVP alongside senior Lauren Hynes, who pitched a no-hitter in game two of the series.

Junior Moriah Connolly led the offense by going 2-of-2 with two stolen bases, a run scored, a walk and sacrifice bunt. Both junior Gabi Martinez and freshman Alexa Ponce added an RBI apiece.

Following three scoreless innings, Connolly led off the fourth with a single. She stole second with one out and then stole third with two outs. When sliding in safely, Holy Cross' catcher made an errant throw, allowing Connolly to reach home for the 1-0 advantage.

The Terriers added three more runs in the sixth with two outs. Sophomore Jilee Schanda doubled to center and scored on Martinez's RBI single against Gennifer Durham (6-15), who limited BU to one unearned run on Saturday. After sophomore Emma Wong walked, Ponce delivered a hard-hit single past the third baseman, allowing Martinez to score. The catcher tried to get Wong out at third but made another errant throw allowing BU to jump out ahead, 4-3.

The Crusaders responded with three runs off two hits in the sixth to pull back within one. Mandy McCarthy hit a two-out RBI double and then scored with Alexandra Held when the Terriers dropped an infield pop up for their lone error of the game.

BU had an opportunity to extend the lead in the seventh after loading the bases with one out, but the Crusaders got a pair of lineouts to end the threat. HC then tried to continue the rally with a two-out single, but Russell shut the door by getting a fly out to Wong in right field.

With their second Patriot League sweep, the Terriers will next visit Colgate on May 7-8 with both days slated to begin at 12 p.m.