Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Colgate softball team saw two late comebacks on Friday afternoon by both Rhode Island and Boston College in the opening day of the USF Spring Break Tournament, handing the Raiders two tough losses, 5-4 and 7-5, respectively. 

Colgate (0-11) dropped a heartbreaker to the Eagles 7-5 in its second game of the day. Boston College (5-12) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Tory Speer double to left center. Her hit allowed Alana DiMaso to reach home.

The Raiders answered in the bottom of the second after rookie Alessandra Moore singled up the middle. Her two-run shot scored Natalie Siedhof and Mariel Schlaefer, lifting Colgate to the one-run advantage. Siedhof ended the game as Colgate's best performer, notching one hit, two runs and one RBI.

The Eagles tied the game off a solo home run by Speer in the top of the fourth. She finished the game with two hits, one run and two RBIs. Senior pitcher Courtney O'Connell singled up the middle, which allowed Schlaefer to score and gave the Raiders back their one-run edge.

In the next inning, Maria Pandolfo hit a two-run single that lifted the Eagles 4-3 over the Raiders. But Colgate would not go away as they responded in the bottom half of the inning with a lead off homer by Siedhof to tie the game at 4-all. The Raiders added to their total during the inning when Alana Dyson used her quick pace, beating out a perfectly placed bunt. Her smart play allowed Marisa Dowling to score. Dowling had pinch-run for O'Connell.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Boston College saw C.J. Chirichigno double to plate the tying run. The next batter, Annie Sommers, reached on a bunt, bringing in another run and placing the lead at 6-5 for the Eagles.

Boston College would add one more run in the inning to create a two-run deficit between the teams. Colgate had a chance to respond in the bottom half of the inning, but the Raiders were not able to score the needed runs.

Chelsea Dimon was the winning pitcher, allowing three hits and two runs in her 3.1 innings of work. Stephanie Lord came in for relief pitching of 3.2 innings, giving up six hits and three runs.

O'Connell pitched all seven innings for Colgate, allowing nine hits and seven runs. She struck out seven and walked three during her time on the mound.

In the first game, it was Rhode Island (3-8) that jumped out to the quick start after Meg Kelly singled. Her hit allowed Megan Congro to score for the 1-0 advantage.

Emmie Dolfi homered in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 1-apiece. An O'Connell single to right field brought in two more runs for the Raiders as Schlaefer and Jennifer Martin both crossed home plate.

Colgate increased its lead to three at 4-1 when Siedhof singled, allowing Tera Vaughn to score.

The Rams cut the advantage to two in the top of the fifth when Kelly Coker reached first on an error. The play scored Courtney Prendergast, who had two hits, one run and two RBIs in the game.

Rhode Island had a big sixth inning, scoring three runs to retake the lead and then secure the win. Kelly kicked off the scoring by singling to center field, which allowed Jocelyn Mattison to score. Prendergast then hit a two-run single that scored Kelly and Jenna Newborn to give the Rams the advantage.

Colgate had one final chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, but the Rams got three quick outs to hold onto the win.

URI's Erika Szymanski pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits, while Megan Carnase went a total of five innings for Colgate and gave up seven hits and three runs. Brigit Ieuter came in for relief to pitch two innings. During her tenure on the mound she gave up five hits and two runs.

The Raiders are back in action tomorrow in a doubleheader with Quinnipiac and Florida A&M. Colgate's first game is against the Bobcats at 11 a.m., with the follow-up contest against the Rattlers at 1:15 p.m.