HAMILTON – Lehigh used a fast start in Game 1 and late rally in Game 2 to defeat Colgate 6-2 and 3-1 on Saturday in a Patriot League doubleheader at Eaton Street Field.

Lehigh with the wins clinches the series and third seed in the Patriot League Tournament. The Raiders, meanwhile, are now locked in at No. 4.

Lehigh 6, Colgate 2
Colgate forced early pressure on Lehigh starter Gabriella Nori in the home half of the first. Meghan Romero and Mia Guevarra worked back-to-back one-out walks to advance a runner into scoring position, but a strikeout and groundout kept the Raiders off the board early.

The opener remained scoreless until Lehigh knocked four doubles in the top of the third to chase Colgate starter Jessica Hay after 2 1/3 innings. The latest base hit from Carley Barjaktarovich opened a 4-0 lead for the visitors after three innings of play.

Kaitlyn Borruso hurled a scoreless fourth inning and back-to-back singles from Jordan Miller and Christiana Cottrell had the Raiders poised for production in the bottom of the frame. Nori escaped unscathed, however, with an inning-ending strikeout to keep Colgate scoreless.

Nori's momentum in the circle carried over to the offense in the top of _­the fifth, as Emily Preble's first hit of the game was a two-run single to center field. The Mountain Hawks had runners on second and third with nobody out in the inning, and Borruso nearly worked out of the jam before Preble's two-out single extended the deficit to 6-0.

A two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth fueled the Raiders' comeback effort. Guevarra slashed a single to right and Nicole Rounsavill sprayed a base hit to left before Morgan Farrah ended Nori's shutout bid with a two-run double that landed near the bottom of the fence in left field.

Borruso kept the Mountain Hawks at bay over the last two frames but Colgate went down in order in the seventh en route to the 6-2 final in Game 1.

Lehigh 3, Colgate 1
Guevarra handed Colgate its first lead of the day early in the night cap, smashing a solo home run in the bottom of the first that cleared everything in left center.
 
The sophomore's spark stood as Colgate's only hit for six innings, but it was nearly enough for Colgate Game 2 starter Bella Crow.  

Crow was dealing through six-plus scoreless frames, allowing just four hits with a strikeout and three walks. She scattered a pair of singles in the third and worked around two base runners in the fifth to keep the Raiders on top 1-0 heading to the seventh.

Lehigh did not go away quietly and rallied to score three runs in the top of the seventh. Reva Alderman singled through the left side to start the inning before back-to-back base hits from Ashley Rabago and Mary-Hannah Smith gave the Mountain Hawks their first lead of the game.
 
A fielder's choice extended Lehigh's lead to 3-1 before the Raiders could escape the inning.

Suddenly down to its final at-bats, Colgate generated a threat in the bottom of the seventh. Rounsavill poked a one-out single through the left side and Miller came to the plate representing the winning run after Lauren La Terra worked a walk, but Lehigh starter Parker Boyd capped off the comeback with a strikeout to seal the 3-1 victory.

RECORD UPDATES
• Colgate dropped to 25-24 overall and 8-9 in Patriot League action after the losses.
• Lehigh is now 24-26 on the season and 10-7 in league play.

KEY RAIDER NOTES
• Colgate registered seven hits in the opener, led by two from Guevarra.
• Farrah drove home the Raiders' two runs in Game 1 with her ninth double of the season.
• Guevarra's Game 2 homer was her fourth and Colgate's league-leading 31st of the season.
• Crow despite taking the loss in Game 2 fired 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits with a strikeout.
• Guevarra and Rounsavill notched Colgate's two hits in the night cap.
 
UP NEXT
• Colgate and Lehigh wrap up their three-game series and regular season on Sunday with a single matchup starting at noon.
• The Raiders once again are hosting their annual LGBTQ+ Awareness Proud to Play Game, where free t-shirts, food trucks, and ice cream will be available while supplies last.