BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Virginia Irby smacked a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh to lead Colgate to a 5-4 victory over Furman and a doubleheader split after the Raiders dropped a 5-3 decision to UAB in the opening game on Saturday.  
 
Irby paced Colgate's offense with three hits and three RBIs in the doubleheader. Steph Jacoby also finished with three hits and drove in a run, while Morgan Farrrah and Jordan Miller each had two hits.
 
Kaitlyn Borruso and Bailey Misken allowed one earned run in 12 1/3 combined innings in the circle. Borruso picked up the win in the nightcap, stranding the go-ahead run on second in the top of the seventh before Irby's walk-off double. 
 
Game 1: UAB 5, Colgate 3
After being held scoreless against the Blazers on Friday, Colgate wasted no time jumping on the board on Saturday. Irby launched a leadoff homer over the wall in left center to give the Raiders a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first inning.
 
Back-to-back walks set up UAB in the home half of the frame. Both runners came around to score on RBI base hits from Sierra Frazier and Jenna Olszewski before a defensive miscue led to two more runs and gave the home team a 4-1 lead at the end of the first.
 
After the Blazers added a run in the third, Colgate answered with a pair in the fourth. The first three batters reached base safely and the Raiders were in business with the bases loaded after singles by Jacoby, Miller, and Rachel Carney. A one-out walk by Taylor Ludwick brought home a run before Irby reached on an infield single to trim the deficit to 5-3.
 
Borruso was strong on the mound to keep the Raiders in it. She scattered three hits and allowed one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings of relief. Colgate's offense put runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth, but could not complete the comeback and UAB held on for the 5-3 victory.
 
Game 2: Colgate 5, Furman 4
Colgate was sitting pretty up 4-1, but Furman rallied to the tune of three runs on three hits in the top of the seventh. Savannah Hughes drove in a run with a double and then a two-run home run by Natalie Morgan tied the game 4-4. Borruso took the mound and picked up a key inning-ending strikeout to strand the go-ahead run at second base.
 
Sabrina Odierno worked a walk to start off the bottom of the seventh and Cayman Coughlin replaced her as a pinch-runner. Carney laid down a perfect bunt to advance Coughlin to second, which set the stage for Irby, who stepped to the dish and drilled a walk-off double to the right-center gap and sent the Raiders home with a win. 
 
Misken struck out nine in six strong innings, but was relieved after a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh. Pitching for the second straight game, Borruso entered a tie game and earned the win after picking up two quick outs to end the frame.   
 
For the second time in as many games, the Raiders jumped out to an early lead via the long ball. This time, it was Farrah providing the spark with a two-run shot in the bottom of the first.
 
The Raiders added a pair of runs in the sixth and carried a 4-1 lead into the seventh, when Furman fought back to tie the game. It only took three batters for Colgate to win it in the home half, with Irby's heroics giving the Raiders their second walk-off win of the season.
 
QUOTES
Colgate Head Coach Marissa Lamison-Myers
On the doubleheader split:
"I was really happy with the way we battled today. We came up with timely hits and timely pitches. Virginia Irby's walk-off double against Furman after they came back to tie it was a perfect example of the fight in this team. We are looking forward to finishing the weekend strong tomorrow against Jacksonville."
 
GAME NOTES
• Nicole Rounsaviill had Colgate's last walk off in a 6-5 comeback win over Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 28. 
• Misken's streak of consecutive innings without an earned run ended at 34 innings after her leadoff walk in the seventh against Furman came around to score.  
• The freshman still sports a sub-1.00 ERA for the season at 0.91 in 61 1/3 innings.
• Borruso improved to 1-0 on the season and owns a 0.00 ERA in 8 2/3 innings. 
• Colgate has belted a home run in three straight games coming from three different players.
• Farrah's dinger was her team-leading seventh of the season.  
• Irby, Farrah, and Jacoby all have four-game hitting streaks entering Sunday.
 
UP NEXT                                                                                                                    
Colgate (12-7) wraps up the UAB Tournament on Sunday with a 9 a.m. (CT) first pitch against Jacksonville. The Raiders defeated the Dolphins 5-2 in the tournament opener on Friday.