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Softball season in review
The Holy Cross softball team ran into a tough stretch to
begin the 2002 season, opening with a 3-14 overall record
and 1-3 league mark. However, the team rebounded into form,
winning five of its next seven games. The Crusaders also
won three of the final four Patriot League games to earn
their fifth straight trip to the Patriot League Championship
Tournament. Holy Cross entered the double-elimination tournament
as the number-four seed and knocked off the number-one seed
Lehigh, 4-3. The Crusaders then lost a tough game to the
eventual champion, Army, before finally falling to Lehigh,
to end their season with a 14-35 mark.
Elizabeth M. Curll '02 (Worcester, Mass.) was chosen
to the 2002 Patriot League Softball All-League Team for the
third straight year. Curll, a tri-captain, was named to the
All-Patriot League Second-Team. She finished second on the
team in hits (33), batting average (.277), homeruns (3) and
RBIs (14) in 2002. Curll's most dramatic hit of the season
was a solo homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning against
Providence on April 9 to lead the Crusaders to the 1-0 victory.
While Curll, along with Courtney A. Dougherty '02 (East
Northport, N.Y.) and Caitlin L. McCarthy '02 (Westwood,
Mass.) will be departing, head coach Bob Neville will return
the entire pitching staff and seven of the top eight leading
hitters in 2003.
Nicole D. Vitti '04 (Stamford, Conn.), who picked
up First Team All-Patriot League honors in her first year,
once again led the team in ERA (2.23), wins (6), strikeouts
(73), games started (15), complete games (11) and innings
pitched (110). Michelle C. Greene '05 (Woburn, Mass.), Christine
R. Palmeri '04 (Wyckoff, N.J.) and Megan E. Manner
'03 (Warren, N.J.) also made strong contributions this
season. Greene started 14 games and finished second in ERA
(2.67). She pitched a no-hitter to lead Holy Cross to a 1-0
win against Lafayette striking out eight batters to help
Holy Cross secure a berth in the 2002 Patriot League Tournament.
Palmeri started 15 games and posted a 4.20 ERA. She was second
on the team in strikeouts (68) and third in innings pitched
(81.2). Manner appeared in 11 games and made one start. She
pitched 28.1 innings with a 1.73 ERA.
Jean M. Connolly '04 (Tewksbury, Mass.), Christine
L. Clark '04 (Melville, N.Y.) and Melissa A. Beshire
'04 (Charlton, Mass.) were all solid contributors at
the plate during the season. Connolly led the team in batting
average (.303), hits (39), doubles (8), homeruns (4) and
RBI (20). Clark scored 13 runs and drove in 11 on 32 hits
while Beshire scored 12 runs and drove in 13 on 28 hits.
Both had six doubles and one homerun each. Mary Beth Ryan
'05 (Holden, Mass.), who started every game, scored a team
leading 19 runs as a leadoff hitter. She also led the team
with four triples and added two homeruns.
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