EASTON, PA (4/16/06) –
Senior Kate Howard (Wheaton, IL) pitched a two-hitter and rookie outfielder
Ashley Rowe (Tampa, FL) cracked her fourth home run of the season to help the Colgate softball team to a split of its Patriot League doubleheader against Lafayette Sunday afternoon at Metzgar Field.
The Raiders (13-16, PL 6-6) won the opener 5-1 before Lafayette (14-21, 6-6) came back in the nightcap behind Lauren Belowich’s three-hit shutout for a 3-0 victory. Colgate is tied with Lafayette for second place in the standings.
In the opener, Kristen Ruckno gave the Leopards a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a home run over the left field fence. After giving up the homer, Howard settled down to retire nine straight batters, and allowed only one more hit. She struck out five and walked two for her 11th victory of the season.
Colgate tied the game in the third inning on Rowe’s blast over the center field fence, and then exploded for four runs in the fifth inning. Rowe had a two-run double, while
LaPorscha Albert (Lewisville, TX) and
Whitney Scott (Beaverton, OR) had RBI singles.
Rowe was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while
Kim Olmstead (Spring Hill, FL), Scott and
Kortney Hannah (Vacaville, CA) had two hits apiece
In the nightcap, Lafayette scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning. Michelle Ellis had a two-run triple, and Gianna Lopreato had a RBI squeeze bunt.
Junior Kelsey Nordstrom (Salina, KS) started for the Raiders and picked up the loss. She worked four innings, allowing two hits, while striking out three and walking four. The only hits for Colgate were doubles by Albert and
Vicky Ortengren (Colorado Springs, Co), and a single by Scott which kept her hitting streak alive at five games.
Colgate will play a non-conference doubleheader at Niagara University on Tuesday, before traveling next weekend to league-leading Lehigh for a four-game series..
