CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Colgate softball team used a four-run sixth inning to rally for a 6-5 victory over Monmouth Thursday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. The win marks Colgate's third-straight victory.
 
Senior Katie Bushee led Colgate with a 2-for-3 showing at the plate, including a game-tying two-run double in the sixth-inning rally. Junior Kyle Griswold earned the victory in the circle. 
 
The Raiders scored in the first inning for the third-straight game as Bushee smacked a leadoff double that just missed leaving the park before sophomore Lauren La Terra sent an RBI single to right to give Colgate a quick 1-0 lead.
 
The Raiders doubled their lead in the bottom of the second when a two-out double from first-year Virginia Irby drove home sophomore Meghan Romero to put Colgate ahead 2-0.
 
First-year starting pitcher Brittany Bendel kept the Hawks scoreless for the first three frames until Monmouth got on the board in the top of the fourth. An RBI double from Kayla Rosado accounted for the Hawks' run, but Bendel snagged a line drive and turned a double play to end the threat and keep Colgate ahead 2-1.
 
Monmouth was able to tie the game in the top of the fifth following an RBI single from Justene Reyes. The Hawks then used a two-run home run off the bat of Amber Wozniak to pull ahead 4-2 in the top of the sixth.
 
The Raiders answered right away in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Pami White smoked a leadoff double before Romero drew a walk and first-year Sabrina Odierno came through with a base hit to load the bases with no outs.
 
Bushee then drilled a double to right center to score White and Romero and knot the game at 4-4. Two batters later, a high fly ball off the bat of junior Holly Geranen was dropped by Monmouth's second baseman. Both Odierno and Bushee were able to cross the plate as Colgate pulled ahead 6-4 through six frames.
 
The Hawks got a run back in the top of the seventh on a solo home run, but Griswold was able to close it out and secure the 6-5 Colgate victory.
 
 
BOTTOM LINE

• Colgate 6, Monmouth 5

 
WON-LOST RECORDS

• The Raiders improve to 5-10 on the season.
• Monmouth drops to 3-12 on the season.

 
KEY RAIDER INFO

• The three-game winning streak is Colgate's longest of the season.
• Eight different Raiders recorded hits.
• Bushee recorded her fifth multi-hit game in the last six contests.
• The victory was Griswold's second of the season. The final line stood at three earned runs on two hits with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
• Bushee and Romero scored two runs apiece.

 
FACTS & FIGURES

• The Hawks finished with a 10-9 hit advantage.
• Bendel, Colgate's starting pitcher, finished with a line of two earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 frames.
• Monmouth reliever Amanda Riley was saddled with the loss.

 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Melissa Finley

• We found a way to win against a very good hitting Monmouth team. I thought our defense did a much better job overall today and I was happy to see us get out to a strong start again. I'm happy to have our first come-from-behind win under our belts and Katie Bushee came up big to help make that happen."
• "This whole week it has been fun to see different people step up and pick each other up. I look forward to seeing this team continue to compete and play together as a unit moving forward."

UP NEXT

• The Raiders return to action Friday with two games.
• Colgate will take on North Florida at 1:30 p.m. before facing Florida A&M at 6:15 p.m.
• Live stats for both games will be available.