HAMILTON, N.Y. (4/12/08) – Colgate freshman Lacy Ver Steeg (Elk Grove, CA) pitched a two-hit shutout in the nightcap for a 9-0 five-inning win over Army to give the Raiders a split of their Patriot League doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Eaton Street Field.  Army (9-29, PL 4-6) won the opener 4-3 behind a complete game effort by Veronica Barth.

 

In the opener, Colgate (5-12, PL 2-4) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, when third baseman Whitney Scott (Beaverton, OR) drilled the first pitch from Barth deep over the left field fence for her first home run of the season.  Army came back with a pair of runs in the third inning on Melissa Garza’s two-run homer down the right field line, scoring Laura Baranek, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

 

The Raiders tied the contest in the bottom of the third on Tiana Tyeskey’s (Granite Bay, CA) RBI ground out, scoring Kortney Hannah (Vacaville, CA) from third base.  Hannah singled, moved to second on pass ball, and advanced to third with a stolen base.

 

Colgate went ahead 3-2 in the fifth inning, when pinch hitter Jessica Sabo (Hudson Falls, NY) hit her first collegiate home run over the right field fence with one out.  In the seventh inning, Army scored twice to take the victory.

 

Jessica Garcia singled to lead off the seventh for Army, and moved to second on Jennae Tomlinson’s sacrifice bunt.  Kelsie August came in to run for Garcia, and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Colgate starter Jesse McCarrick (Oak Hill, VA).  Mary Ann Kearney singled up the middle to scored August with the tying run.  Nicole Talarczyk was sent in as a pinch runner for Kearney, and after Cassie Ellington struck out, she stole second.  Baranek hit a bloop single to center to score Talarczyk with the game-winning run.

 

Hannah was 2-for-3 for the Raiders, who managed only six hits off Barth.  Barth struck out four and walked none for the Cadets.  McCarrick allowed eight hits, struck out one and walked one.

 

In the nightcap, Colgate exploded for five runs in the second inning off Barth, who started her second straight game.  With one out, the Raiders put together four straight singles to score two runs before Hannah had a two-run single.  The final run came home on a RBI ground out by Calla Yee (Salinas, CA).  Erin Gomez (Lawrenceville, NJ) and LaPorscha Albert (Lewisville, TX) had one RBI apiece in the inning.

 

The Raiders scored four more runs in the third inning.  Amanda Eccleston (Roseville, CA) was hit by a pitch, and pinch runner Brittany Hanrahan (Frankfort, IL) moved to second on Scott’s sacrifice bunt.  After Sabo reached on a single, Gomez drilled a two-run double to center field.  Gomez would later score on Albert’s RBI double, and Albert came home on Brandy Godfrey’s single.

 

Ver Steeg gave up only two singles to Army’s lead off hitter Baranek, while striking out three and walking none for her first collegiate shutout.

 

Colgate which pounded out 10 hits was led by Gomez, who was 2-of-2 with three RBI, while Albert was 2-for-2 with two RBI and Hannah was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI. 

 

Hannah and Ashley Rowe (Tampa, FL) extended their hitting streaks to seven straight games for the Raiders.