Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DOVER, Del. – The Colgate softball team earned its second win of the season after handing Delaware State a 2-0 loss Friday afternoon during the opening day of the Delaware State Tournament. The Raiders also fell 8-5 to Princeton in the opening game of the tournament.

“It was great to see the team put together a good defensive effort and for Megan (Carnase) to get her first career shutout,” head coach Melissa Finley said. “We did a great job of staying mentally focused for the entire second game and I think we are starting to put the pieces together. I am glad we will get another chance to face Princeton Saturday and four more games this weekend before opening up conference play next week.”

Colgate (2-14) was lead by Alana Dyson, who had three hits and scored four runs through the two games. Following her big day, she moves into fifth all-time in Colgate history with 107 runs scored and 173 hits. Rookie Marisa Dowling also added three hits, two runs and one RBI in her sixth start for the Raiders.

Fellow classmate Megan Carnase recorded her first career shutout in the win. She pitched seven scoreless innings allowing only two hits.

Delaware State (4-15) saw Jessica Madrid and Jennifer Fischbach both contribute one hit in the contest. Rachel Meagley gave up two hits and two runs during her 0.2 innings of work for the Hornets. Fischbach came in to pitch 5.1 innings, allowing three hits.

Emmie Dolfi singled up the middle, scoring Dyson, to get the Raiders on the board early. Dyson was able to score from second after she stole the base on the previous play. Later in the inning, Dowling knocked in Natalie Siedhof, who was waiting on second, to extend Colgate's advantage to 2-0.

The Hornets tried to rally in the bottom of the second after a Jordan Stamps' walk. Fischbach then singled to right field, advancing Stamp, but Delaware State was unable to bring them home.

Colgate continued its strong defensive play not conceding the tying runs. Carnase pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to secure the Raiders win.

In the first game, Princeton (13-8) scored six runs in the final two innings to come from behind and grab the 8-5 win.

After two scoreless innings, it was the Raiders who finally broke the 0-0 tie. Dowling and Dyson hit back-to-back singles to put two players on with only one out. Haley Fleming earned a walk before Siedhof reached first base on a throwing error by the shortstop, which allowed Dyson and Dowling to score. With the runs Colgate took the 2-0 lead into the bottom half of the third.

The Tigers tied the game at 2-apiece in the fourth, following three doubles. Danielle Allen started the inning doubling down the left field line. After the Raiders got one out, Alex Peyton doubled to center field, scoring Allen. Cara Worden grounded out to second base, advancing Peyton to third, before Nikki Chu came up to hit a double to score Peyton.

Colgate answered with two runs in the fifth to push the lead back up to 4-2. Dowling singled through the left side and then advanced to second following a Dyson walk. Fleming sacrificed both runners before Siedhof singled to left center, scoring Dowling. Rookie Mariel Schlaefer singled to second base, which scored Dyson for the two-run advantage.

In the bottom half of the inning, Princeton took the lead for the first time in the game following two Raider errors. The Tigers created a one-run deficit between the teams after Kate Miller, Allen and Rachel Rendina all reached home plate.

Princeton added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend its lead to 8-4. The Raiders were able to notch only one of the four runs needed in the seventh as they fell to the Tigers in the opening game of the tournament. 

Senior Courtney O'Connell went four innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Brigit Ieuter gave up five hits and four runs during her two innings of work as Colgate's relief pitcher. Princeton saw Liza Kuhn pitch seven innings and allow nine hits and five runs.

The Raiders are back in action Saturday morning in an unscheduled 9 a.m. game against Princeton. They follow that up with a matchup against Brown at 11:30 a.m.