WEST POINT, N.Y. – A pair of strong pitching performances and opportune hitting carried Colgate to a well-rounded doubleheader sweep at Army on Monday afternoon. The Raiders took both ends 7-3 and 6-2 to claim the final three games of the four-game home-and-home Patriot League series.
Virginia Irby and
Morgan Farrah led the way offensively, combining for eight hits, seven RBIs, and four runs scored in the doubleheader.
Bailey Misken and
Bella Crow picked up the two wins in the circle allowing five runs (two earned) over 14 innings.
Colgate has won nine of its last 12 games and improved to 12-12 overall with a 10-8 mark in Patriot League play. Army dropped to 8-13 on the season and 4-8 in conference play after the losses.
Game 1: Colgate 7, Army 3
Colgate rode a steady presence at the plate and strong outing from Misken in the circle to take the first game of Monday's twinbill. Misken allowed three unearned runs while scattering seven hits and striking out three over seven innings to pick up her fourth win of the season.
Irby was an early and often spark for the Raiders, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings. Irby scored on an RBI groundout by
Steph Jacoby in the top of the first and then drove in two runs with a double to left-center in the second. Farrah added an RBI single in the inning to extend the cushion.
Misken opened her outing with five straight scoreless frames, including a perfect 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth, before the Raiders went back to work in the sixth. Irby scored
Rebecca Johnson on a sacrifice fly and Farrah's hot bat continued with a two-run shot to straightaway center to stretch the lead to 7-0.
Army scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and added two more in the seventh, but Misken capped off her seventh complete game of the season and second of the weekend to preserve the 7-3 victory.
Game 2: Colgate 6, Army 2
Bella Crow and Alicyn Grete picked up where they left off on Saturday with five scoreless innings to start the final game of the series. Colgate racked up six runs over the last two frames to secure the win.
Adrienne Nardone got the Raiders on the board with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth.
Taylor Ludwick started things off with a two-out single to right-center before Nardone's second home run of the series handed the Raiders a late 2-0 advantage.
Army answered with two runs on four hits in the home half of the sixth. An RBI bunt down the third base line by Taylor Drayton tied the game at 2-2, but Crow prevented any further damage with a strikeout and popout to turn it back over to the Colgate bats in the seventh.
Irby and Farrah were once again catalysts in the seventh-inning rally, with back-to-back RBI singles carrying the Raiders back in front. Ludwick came next and stroked a two-run double to the wall in left-center, scoring Irby and
Gigi Venizelos to push the lead to 6-2.
Misken induced a pair of groundouts in the bottom of the seventh to earn her second save of the season and cap off Colgate's doubleheader sweep with a 6-2 triumph in Game 2.
Crow improved to 6-4 on the season, allowing two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings. She scattered nine hits and struck out five in the winning effort.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Marissa Lamison-Myers
On the games:
"I can't say enough about our team today.
Bailey Misken and
Bella Crow were outstanding in the circle. They both gave our offense an opportunity to do what they do best.
Adrienne Nardone again coming through with a big home run and
Virginia Irby,
Taylor Ludwick, and
Morgan Farrah battled at the plate and came through with a few huge hits. It was a great weekend for us but we need to switch our focus and get prepared for a tough Holy Cross team."
NOTES
•
Virginia Irby continues to climb the record books, moving into fifth in runs scored (114) and ninth in doubles (32) after Monday's doubleheader.
•
Morgan Farrah added two more homers in the series and stands fifth all-time with 21 for her career.
• The Raiders as a team slashed .328 (38-for-116) in the series, led by Irby's .545 (6-for-11) clip.
•
Bella Crow and
Bailey Misken combined for a 1.50 ERA in 28 innings pitched.
UP NEXT
Colgate hosts Holy Cross in a four-game series this weekend at Eaton Street Field. Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders are slated for noon and 2 p.m., with ESPN+ carrying the livestreams. Colgate will honor its four seniors prior to Saturday's games.
