HAMILTON – Colgate pounded three more homers and a dominant pitching performance from
Kaitlyn Borruso fueled the Raiders to the series sweep of Lafayette with a 4-1 victory Monday afternoon at Eaton Street Field.
The Raiders with their seventh straight win clinch a top four seed in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2015. Colgate and Lehigh now own identical 8-7 league records and the two teams will battle for third place next weekend in a three-game series at Eaton Street Field.
Colgate produced all four runs on the long ball.
Nicole Rounsavill ignited the red-hot Raider bats with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Her fifth blast of the season came after
Mia Guevarra sliced a two-out single down the right field line.
Lafayette posted five hits in the first three frames and cut the deficit in half with a run in the top of the third. But Borruso entered the circle and limited the damage with an inning-ending strikeout to strand a runner in scoring position.
Borruso was lights out from the get-go, silencing the Leopard bats over 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. She allowed just one hit and struck out four with no walks to improve to 6-3 in the circle.
Virginia Irby sent a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right center to lead off the bottom of the third, and three batters later Rounsavill hammered her second blast of the game to left center to stretch Colgate's lead to 4-1.
That was plenty of run support for Borruso, who capped her dominant performance with strikeouts in perfect sixth and seventh innings to seal the sweep of Lafayette, 4-1.
RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate improved to 25-22 overall and 8-7 in league play.
• Lafayette dropped to 8-35-1 on the season and 1-14 in the Patriot League.
• The Raiders have won eight of nine games on their 12-game homestand.
FROM THE SOURCE
• Colgate head coach
Marissa Lamison-Myers:
"Today was a great day for Colgate Softball. Nicole had a monster day at the plate and Kaitlyn was a rock in the circle. I couldn't be any prouder of this team and what they have accomplished. We look to continue this momentum into the weekend."
KEY RAIDER NOTES
• Colgate earns its first sweep of Lafayette since 2016.
• Rounsavill joins
Morgan Farrah and
Jordan Miller atop the squad with six homers on the year.
• The Raiders are back on top of the Patriot League with 30 home runs this season.
• Borruso is now 3-0 with a save in her last four appearances in the circle.
• Her four strikeouts were a season high.
• Colgate finished with eight hits on the day, led by two apiece from Rounsavill and Farrah.
UP NEXT
• Colgate and Lehigh open an important three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon at Eaton Street Field.
• Colgate will honor its five seniors in a brief pregame ceremony prior to Saturday's twin bill.
• Sunday is the Raiders' annual LGBTQ+ Awareness Game, where free T-shirts, ice cream, and food trucks will be provided while supplies last.
• Patriot League Network is carrying the free livestreams all weekend.
