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HAMILTON – Colgate was finally back on home soil Wednesday when it welcomed Siena for a doubleheader. The two teams split the games with the Raiders taking game one, 10-2 in six innings and the Saints stealing the nightcap, 5-3.
 
The Raiders started the day hammering out hits, recording 14 in the opening game. They easily held a comfortable lead throughout the entire game with both Tera Vaughn and Tara Grennan leading the way. Game two was a little more competitive with both teams taking their turn holding the advantage. Unfortunately for Colgate, a late rally by the Saints in the top of the seventh proved to be the difference in the game.
 
"It was nice to see us put it all together in the first game," Colgate head coach Melissa Finley said. "We had great defense, solid pitching and strong hitting. Every single person in the order produced for us, which is always a positive thing to see.
 
"Unfortunately, we couldn't complete the sweep in the second game. At the end of the day we left way to many runners on base. We were hitting the ball hard, it just happened to go right to people at times when we really needed it to fall in. They played better late in the game than we did and that was the difference in the ball game."
 
Colgate (7-19) saw both Vaughn and Grennan go 4-for-8 in the two games with each recording three RBIs. Vaughn added three runs, while Grennan was a triple shy of achieving the cycle. Three other Raiders tallied two hits on the day in Katie Bushee, Gillian Murray and Mariel Schlaefer.
 
Both Raider pitchers threw over 100 pitches on the day. Rookie Murray shifted her season record to 2-2 after allowing just five hits and two runs in her six innings of work. Sophomore Megan Carnase gave up seven hits and five runs with three being earned in her seven complete innings in game two.

 Siena (15-16) was led by Paige Lloyd, who went 4-for-5 on the day with two runs and two RBIs. Stephanie Viggiano added three hits, three runs and one RBI on seven at bats, while Alyssa Lancaster went 2-for-6 with three RBIs.
 
In game one, Colgate started its hitting spree in the bottom of the first after Bushee lead off with a single to center field. She advanced to second on an error by the pitcher when Haley Fleming hit into a fielder's choice. On the next at bat Schlaefer reached base thanks to another fielder's choice to place runners on the corners after Fleming was tagged out at second. The sophomore then stole second to get two baserunners in scoring position. Vaughn brought them home on the ensuing play with a double to center field, giving the Raiders the 2-0 edge. Colgate was then able to increase its lead to 4-0 when Grennan placed one over the left field fence for her first career home run.
 
The Raiders were again on the offensive attack in the bottom of the second when Alyssa Chaulklin led off the inning doubling the center field. Bushee followed that up by reaching base thanks to an error, ultimately scoring Chaulklin creating a five-run margin between the teams. Bushee utilized her speed on that play as well and found herself on third base. The Saints were able to record two outs on the next two batters but a single from Vaughn scored Bushee for the 6-0 Raider advantage.
 
Siena cut into Colgate's lead in the top of the third after four-straight singles. The Raiders answered with two more runs in the fourth and sixth, however, to ultimately secure the eight-run victory in six innings.
 
The Saints jumped out to the early lead in game two after Viggiano lead off with a double in the top of the first. Melanie Kalesse grounded out shifting the baserunner to third before a Lancaster single brought her home.
 
The Raiders wasted little time trailing, however, as they tallied three big runs in the bottom half of the inning. Bushee walked to leadoff, placing a Colgate runner on base. Fleming followed that up with a single, advancing Bushee to second. Marisa Dowling hit a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position before Schlaefer's double to left center put the Raiders on top 2-1. On the ensuing play Grennan matched the previous double with one of her own, scoring Schlaefer from second.
 
Colgate held the two-run lead for three innings before the Saints knotted the score in the top of the fifth.
 
The Raiders were knocking on the door over the course of the next two innings after placing two runners on base in each outing. Unfortunately they were unable to convert on the opportunity and headed into the seventh still tied at 3-all.
 
The Saints started a one-out rally in the final inning and registered two runs, which ultimately secured them the win.
 
Colgate has a big weekend ahead as it travels to Lafayette for a three-game Patriot League series with the Leopards. The two teams faceoff in a doubleheader on Saturday before playing the final game on Sunday. Both days the games begin at 12 p.m.