WEST POINT, N.Y. – Morgan Farrah and
Virginia Irby clobbered back-to-back homers in the seventh inning to lead Colgate to a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Army in Game 2 and a sweep after the Raiders outlasted the Black Knights 10-9 in extra innings in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader at the Army Softball Complex.
Colgate improved to 15-17 on the season and 2-3 in Patriot League action with the wins. Army, which came into the weekend on a three-game winning streak, fell to 17-21 overall and 4-3 in league play after the losses.
Colgate 10, Army 9 (8 inn.)
In a back-and-forth offensive battle in Game 1, Colgate built a 9-5 lead by the fifth inning thanks to a two-run double from
Nicole Rounsavill in a four-run top of the third.
Jessica Hay tossed three scoreless frames after allowing five runs over the first two innings. She set the Black Knights down in order in the fifth inning, but Army's Ally Snelling cut into Colgate's lead with a three-run homer in the sixth to make it 9-8.
Colgate could not cash in with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, and the Black Knights made it hurt with a two-out single by Taylor Livingston scoring the tying the run and sending the game to extra innings, 9-9.
The Raiders answered in a big way. Irby worked a one-out walk – her fifth time on base – and advanced to second base on a groundout. One batter later, Rounsavill came through again with another clutch two-out shot up the middle, scoring Irby and giving the Raiders a 10-9 lead.
Hay finished what she started with a scoreless eighth and Colgate claimed Game 1 in extra innings, 10-9.
Rounsavill and
Meghan Romero had three hits apiece. Irby was 2-for-2 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch, plus she scored four runs in the win.
Colgate jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first. Romero laced a double to straightaway center and Farrah advanced her to third on a deep flyout to right.
Irby won a 10-pitch at-bat to take ball four and
Jordan Miller turned on an 0-1 pitch for a double to stake the Raiders to an early 2-0 advantage.
RBI singles in the first from Emily Ballesteros, Bianca Gonzalez, and Julia Whyatt gave Army a 3-2 lead. The Black Knights added two more in the second on a double to left center by Snelling.
Colgate stormed back to put up a four-spot in the top of the third. With two outs and the bases full, Rounsavill put a charge into one for a two-run double before
Mia Guevarra reached on an error to score two more and the Raiders reclaimed the lead, 6-5.
The Raiders stayed in front until Army made its comeback in the last two innings, but Rounsavill's go-ahead single in the eighth put the Black Knights away for good, 10-9.
Colgate 4, Army 3
Army got off to a hot start in Game 2, with an RBI double from Snelling and a single from Taylor Drayton giving the home team an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Bella Crow settled in after a tough first inning to keep it a 2-0 game long enough for the Raiders to start their rally down the stretch.
Colgate's bats were quiet until the sixth when the Raiders tied the game with two runs on the strength of three hits. Irby started the rally with an infield single before a double from Guevarra had runners on the corners with two away.
Down to their final four outs, pinch-hitter
Cayman Coughlin stepped into the box and ripped a two-run single to left on a 2-2 count to draw the game level at 2-2.
Army's Megan Muffett led off the bottom of the sixth with a double and her pinch-runner Annie Brock came around to score on a single to left by Ashley Yoo to give the Black Knights a 3-2 lead.
The Patriot League's top offense showed its presence one more time in the seventh. Farrah sent the first pitch she saw over the wall in left field to tie the game, and then Irby kept the fireworks going with a solo shot to give Colgate its first lead of the game, 4-3.
Crow fired a perfect 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to complete the comeback and doubleheader sweep as Colgate stunned Army in the nightcap, 4-3.
FROM THE SOURCE
• Colgate head coach
Marissa Lamison-Myers:
"It was a battle today. We had two outstanding performances on the mound from Jess and Bella. They kept the game close to give our offense a chance to score. Cayman came up with a huge two-out pinch-hit at-bat to tie Game 2 and then Morgan and Virginia sealed it with back-to-back homers. I could not be happier with the way our defense stepped up today. Two huge plays -- one in the first game from Jordan and a big diving catch from Mia in the second. This team has a lot of fight in them and refuse to back down."
KEY RAIDER NOTES
• Romero and Rounsavill both went 3-for-5 in Game 1.
• Rounsavill drove in three runs and scored another in the win.
• Irby reached base five times in the opener, going 2-for-2 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.
• Four Raiders finished with multi-hit performances in Game 1.
• Irby finished 3-for-4 to lead the Raiders in Game 2.
• Irby went a stellar 5-for-6 in the doubleheader with six runs scored and two RBI.
• Crow improved to 7-7 in the circle with the win in the nightcap.
• She scattered 10 hits and three runs (two earned) over seven innings with a walk and four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
• Colgate goes for the series sweep on Sunday with first pitch from West Point set for noon.
• Patriot League Network is carrying the free livestream.
