At the Chestnut Hill College softball field last Tuesday, the numbers changed frequently on one side of the scoreboard and unfortunately for the host Griffins, it was in the section labeled "visitors."

In a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader, visiting Holy Family University outscored CHC by a total of 20 runs to two, winning the opening game 13-1 and securing the second, 7-1.

One bright spot was that in the second contest freshman relief pitcher Isabelle Tetreault did a good job of containing the high scoring Tigers, going three-and-two-thirds innings while allowing three hits and no runs and striking out four batters.

Nevertheless, the overall outcome lowered Chestnut Hill's season record to 9-17-1 overall and 2-6 within the CACC, while Holy Family improved to 11-15, 4-4. At the beginning of March, the Griffins had made a spring training trip down South to South Carolina and Virginia.

In last Tuesday's home doubleheader, both teams had their pitchers go the distance in the first game, which ended after six innings due to the mercy rule. For Chestnut Hill, senior Jordan Tavarez gave up 17 hits and one walk with one strike-out. Holy Family's Molly Moore, a sophomore out of Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, had no strike-outs while giving up nine hits and one walk.

After a scoreless first inning, the visiting Tigers picked up one run in each of the next two frames, then piled on four runs in the top of the fourth. The score rose to 7-0 in the top of the fifth, and then Holy Family broke out for six runs in the top of the sixth, surpassing the eight-run threshold for the mercy rule to come into effect.

The Griffins were not able to take that out of play, but at least they were able to avoid a shutout in the game. They began the bottom of the sixth with two outs in the air, but then sophomore Izabella Rodriguez singled to the left side of the infield. Next, junior catcher Lucianna Boggi, a Penn Charter graduate, drove a hit up the middle to put runners on first and second.

Alauna Kelley, a freshman, also produced a single, loading the bases. Another CHC rookie, Christina Contreras, slapped a single to the left side to score Rodriguez. When the next batter flied out, the contest ended with a 13-1 Holy Family victory. Senior Emma Clayborne went four-for-four at the plate for the winners, with two doubles and two RBIs.

In contrast to the first game, The Tigers would score all of their runs in the first four innings during the second go-round, first putting up a lone run in the second and going up 3-0 with a two-run single in the top of the third. Holy Family added its last four runs in the top of the fourth, one of them coming on a bases-loaded walk.

After the Tigers' fourth run of the game was walked home, CHC starting pitcher Rebecca Cessna retired from the circle. The sophomore had given up six hits and five walks while striking out two batters.

Tetreault entered the game with the bases loaded, and a run scored on a sacrifice fly. Two more came home on a single by Holy Family sophomore Lily Hoban, making it 7-0. Hoban also had a two-run hit in the third inning. A pop-up got Chestnut Hill out of the top of the fourth, and over the next three innings, Tetreault gave up two hits but didn't allow any visiting baserunners past second base.

The pitching change seemed to give the hosts a little burst of energy in the home half of the fourth, which began with singles into the outfield by sophomore Jenn Pokropinski and freshman Devin Warner. The Tigers then secured two outs with a force-out at third base and a foul pop.

Senior Skyler Cunningham drove a hit to left center field, allowing Warner to score. A ground-out then ended the inning, but at least the Griffins were now on the board.

 After the Tigers finished their final batting turn in the top of the seventh inning with the score still 7-1, it was unlikely that Chestnut Hill could rally to win the game, but the Griffins could still strive to make the final score a little closer.

They started with an infield ground-out, but then senior Skyler Cunningham singled to left field. Junior Jazmine Ramirez hit a ground ball toward the second baseman, who opted for the force-out at second but couldn't throw to first quickly enough to get a double play on Ramirez. Holy Family sophomore pitcher Kinsley Hall struck out the next batter to end the game, finishing up seven innings of work with four strikeouts while giving up five hits and no walks.