TALLAHASSE, Fla. – Colgate earned 16 hits in a doubleheader with Florida A&M on Wednesday.
 
The Raiders fell in both contests by one run at 6-5 and 3-2 after two exciting games.
 
Game one was back and forth. The Raiders opened up the scoring in the first inning but the Rattlers answered with three runs throughout the next two to take over the lead. Heading into the fourth Colgate made it a 3-2 ballgame after a solo home run from rookie Holly Geranen.
 
FAMU posted two more runs in the bottom half of the inning though to extend its edge to 5-2. Again the Raiders would fight back with two runs in the fifth making it a one-run game. The Rattlers then hit a home run in the bottom half of the inning but Brigit Ieuter's first career long ball pulled the Raiders back to within one run at 6-5.
 
Despite a runner on base in the seventh inning, Colgate was unable to record the tying run.
 
In game two FAMU jumped out to the early 2-0 lead after the first two innings.
 
Colgate cut the advantage to 2-1 in the fifth though when Katie Bushee singled to bring home Kate Zucker.
 
The Raiders sparked a two-out rally in the top of the seventh to knot the score at 2-all. Bushee reached base on a fielder's choice after the Rattlers tagged Alicia Daly out at second following her single during the previous at bat. Bushee then advanced to second on a wild pitch before an Alyssa Chaulklin double to right center brought in the tying run.
 
Colgate used that momentum in the bottom of the inning to get a quick ground out, keeping its hopes of extra innings intact. Unfortunately, during the next at bat Amber Fullwood hit a walk-off home run to snag the victory.
 
The Raiders are back in action this weekend when they head to Army to kick off Patriot League play. Colgate is scheduled to face off with the Black Knights in a three-game series beginning on Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
Bottom Line
• Florida A&M 6, Colgate 5
• Florida A&M 3, Colgate 2

Won-Lost Records
• Florida A&M shifts to 7-27 on the year
• Colgate falls to 4-9

Key Raider Info
• Geranen led the Raiders on the day going 4-for-7 with one run and 2 RBIs.
• Bushee went 3-for-7 with three runs and two RBIs, while both Chaulklin and Ieuter added two hits and one RBI.
• Ieuter tallied her first career homer, while Geranen earned her second.
• Three pitchers saw action in the doubleheader with Ieuter and Kira Griswold getting the starting nods and Megan Carnase coming in for relief.
• Ieuter pitched 3.2 innings allowing six hits and five runs, two of which were earned, in game one. Carnase then came in for relief pitching 2.1 innings giving up four hits and one run.
• In game two, Griswold allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, during her 4.2 innings of work before Carnase again came in for relief. The junior finished the final 1.2 innings giving up three hits and one run.

Facts & Figures
• The Raiders posted 16 hits and six runs on the day.
• Colgate also added seven RBIs in the two games.
• Each pitcher tallied at least one strikeout in the doubleheader with Griswold still holding a team-best 20.
 
Florida A&M Numbers
• Fullwood led the Rattlers after going 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBIs and two walks.
• Tashayla Irvis and Jessica Nathan went 4-for-8 and 3-for-8, respectively, as well. Both tallied a run, with Nathan chipping in an RBI as well.
• Kenya Pereira and Veronica Burse both pitched complete games for FAMU. Pereira allowed seven hits and five runs, three of which were earned, while Burse gave up nine hits and two runs during her time in the circle in the nightcap.
 
Game One
• Bushee was hit by a pitch to lead off the game. Mariel Schlaefer put down a great sacrifice bunt on the next at bat to shift Bushee over to second. Bushee then stole third before another sacrifice bunt allowed her to touch home for the game's first run.
• FAMU tallied one run in the bottom of the second and two in the third to take a 3-1 edge heading into the fourth inning.
• Colgate cut the lead down to 3-2 when Geranen hit a lead off solo shot to left field.
• Unfortunately, the Rattlers earned two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to create a three-run gap between the teams.
• The Raiders would not go away though as they posted two more runs in the top of the fifth. Alex Gadiano reached base on an error to start the inning. Zucker shifted her to second on a ground out before a Bushee single up the middle brought her home. On the ensuing play Schlaefer singled to move Bushee over to second. The Rattlers earned their second out of the inning but a Geranen single to center field during the next at bat brought Bushee home to make it a 5-4 ballgame.
• FAMU increased its lead to 6-4 on a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth but the Raiders answered in the sixth when Ieuter hit her first career homer over the left field fence.
• Colgate looked as if it would knot the score in the top of the seventh but a great catch by the Rattlers at the fence stole a home run from Tara Grennan. With two outs in the inning, Geranen then singled to try and spark a rally but Colgate was unable to convert.
 
Game Two
• FAMU jumped out to the 2-0 edge after runs in the bottom of the first and second inning.
• Colgate cut the lead in half during the top of the fifth when Zucker hit a one out single. On the next at bat Daly grounded out, shifting Zucker to second. Bushee then singled to bring in the Raiders first run of the game.
• With one out in the top of the seventh, Colgate sparked a late rally to knot the score. Daly started the inning by singling. Bushee then reached on a fielder's choice after the Rattlers tagged Daly out at second. The sophomore shifted up on a stolen base during the next at bat to get herself into scoring position. On the ensuing play, Chaulklin doubled to right center to bring in the tying run.
• Unfortunately in the bottom half of that inning FAMU tallied a walk-off home run to steal the thrilling victory. 
 
Straight From The Source
• Colgate head coach Melissa Finley: (on her thoughts from the doubleheader) "We had a disappointing outing today. I know what we are capable of and we didn't really portray that in the games. We gave them too many runs early on in the first game and even though we fought back and battled we couldn't take the lead back."
 
"The second game was a race to see who would come up with the big play or hit to win the game and unfortunately it wasn't us."
 
"Kira (Griswold) and Megan (Carnase) combined to throw a great game and give us an opportunity to win but we struggled to string some hits together. It was great to see some different people step up though in that last inning to tie the game up."
 
"We learned a lot from this week and I definitely want us to continue to grow and develop as a team and get better every time we take the field."

Up Next
• The Raiders kick off league play on Saturday with a doubleheader at Army beginning at 1 p.m. The following day Colgate and the Black Knights will meet again in the third game of the three-game series. That contest is also set for 1 p.m.
• Live stats and video available at the start of all games.