WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point was able to protect an early lead to earn a 5-3 win over Colgate in the first game of Saturday's Patriot League opening doubleheader before the Black Knights walked off with a 8-7 victory in the nightcap.
 
Army got on the board in the bottom of the first in the day's opener with four unearned runs. The Black Knights used two hits, a walk and a pair of Colgate errors to take a 4-0 lead through one.
 
The Raiders got a run back in the top of the second inning, which began with a leadoff single from junior Holly Geranen. Senior Tara Grennan followed with a one-out double to right center before first-year Nicole Rounsavill smacked an RBI single to center to pull Colgate within 4-1.
 
Following Army's four-run first inning, Colgate starting pitcher Kyle Griswold sat the Black Knights down in order in each of the next three frames before Army tacked on a run in the fifth to extend its lead to 5-1. A two-out single off the bat of sophomore Lauren La Terra started a seventh-inning rally for the Raiders. Geranen followed with a base hit before first-year Jordan Miller smacked a two-run triple to right center to pull Colgate within 5-3. Army made a pitching change before getting a game-ending groundout to secure the 5-3 series-opening victory.
 
The Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the day's nightcap. Senior Katie Bushee drew a leadoff walk before stealing second and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt from first-year Virginia Irby. Bushee then scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of Geranen. A sacrifice fly allowed Army to plate a run in the bottom of the first as the game went to the second tied 1-1.
 
After a scoreless second inning, Colgate put up a four spot in the third to pull ahead 5-1. The Raiders used five hits, including RBI knocks from Geranen, Terra, Grennan and Miller to snag the four-run lead. 
 
Senior starting pitcher Gillian Murray kept the Raider advantage at four until the Black Knights put single runs on the board in both the fourth and fifth innings to pull within 5-3. RBI singles from Irby and Geranen helped Colgate re-extend its lead to four at 7-3 in the top of the sixth.
 
The Black Knights used five hits to plate three runs and tie the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the sixth. The Raiders weren't able to get anything going offensively in the top of the seventh before a sac fly from Ashley Yoo scored Army's game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
 
BOTTOM LINES

• Army 5, Colgate 3
• Army 8, Colgate 7

 
WON-LOST RECORDS

• Colgate falls to 7-15 on the season and 0-2 in the Patriot League.
• Army improves to 19-9 overall and 2-0 in league action.

 
KEY RAIDER INFO

• Grennan went 3-for-4 in the day's opener, marking her second multi-hit game of the season. She finished the day 4-for-8.
• Geranen and first-year Sabrina Odierno both finished the day with three hits apiece.
• Miller accounted for a team-best three of Colgate's RBI.

 
FACTS & FIGURES

• The Raiders out-hit the Black Knights 19-18 on the day.
• Colgate stole four bases in the two games combined.
• Griswold finished with a final line of five runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits with two strikeouts in six full innings of work in the day's opener.
• Murray put together a line of three runs, only two of which were earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

 
UP NEXT

• Colgate and Army will play the final game of their three-game set Sunday.
• First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
• Free video will be available on the Patriot League Network.