Game 1    Game 2

EASTON, PA  (5/2/2010) –   Nicole Siedhof (Canton, Pa.) provided the game winning hit and Courtney O'Connell (Palm Harbor, Fla.) won her third consecutive start as Colgate downed Lafayette 4-2 in the opening game of a Patriot League softball doubleheader, Sunday at Metzgar Fields.  The Raiders completed the sweep by hammering three homers in a convincing 7-0 victory in the second game.

With the sweep of the Leopards coupled with Lehigh taking a pair at Holy Cross, Colgate gains the final spot in the Patriot League Tournament, which will be played May 13-15.  The Raiders will be the tournament's number four seed.

  After spotting the Leopards two runs in the top of the first, both coming on bases loaded walks, the Raiders squared the contest in the bottom of the second on a two-run single by Emmie Dolfi (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.).  Three innings later, Colgate gained the lead for good in the fifth as Stephanie Hartquist (Homer, N.Y.) and Jennifer Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) scored on a two-run double by Nicole Siedhof.

 Lafayette, which dropped to 15-33 overall and 4-16 in league play, advanced two runners into scoring position in the top of the sixth.  However, O'Connell induced a gounder back to the mound to get out of the jam.  The freshman scattered six hits and fanned three Leopards in seven innings of work to improve to 8-5 on the season.

 In the second game, Hartquist provided Colgate with all it would need in the bottom of the second as the sophomore launched her first homer of the year.  The Raiders upped the advantage to 5-0 with a three-run fourth inning.  Nicole Siedhof led off by ripping her fifth homer of the year over the leftfield fence.  After a walk to Natalie Siedhof (Canton, Pa.), Dolfi blasted her third homer of the year to center to finish off the scoring in the fourth.  The Raiders tacked on two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Nicole Siedhof and a throwing error by the catcher later plated Hartquist.

 Jesse McCarrick (Oak Hill, Va.) went the distance on a four hitter to improve to 7-2 overall.  The victory was the senior's first since a victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore on March 27.

 In the doubleheader, Alana Dyson (Grovetown, Ga.) tied Melissa Rawson's single-season freshman record with 37 runs scored.  She also inched closer to Rawson's freshman record for hits with a two for four effort in the second game.  She is four hits shy of besting the rookie record at Colgate.

 The Raiders, who improved to 25-19 overall and 8-10 in league play,  return to action this Friday as they host league rival Army for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.  This is a makeup date from the April 25th doubleheader washout at Eaton Street Field.  Should Army sweep Colgate, the Black Knights will host the league tournament.  If the Raiders manage to take at least one game from Army, Lehigh will claim the top spot for the 17th time in 20 seasons.