HAMILTON – Dominant pitching and more timely hitting paved Colgate's way to another doubleheader sweep on Saturday at Eaton Street Field. The Raiders took both ends of the twinbill with 5-3 and 3-0 victories over Holy Cross to run their winning streak to five games.
Colgate has now won 10 of its last 12 games and improved to 14-12 overall with a 12-8 Patriot League record. Holy Cross fell to 6-16 on the season and 2-12 in conference play after the losses.
The Raiders have claimed four consecutive Patriot League series, taking three out of four games against Lafayette, Lehigh, Army, and Holy Cross. Colgate is now four games up in the win column of Bucknell and Lehigh for second place with four regular season contests left.
Game 1: Colgate 5, Holy Cross 3
After being held in check by Holy Cross pitcher Kayla Nelson in the first meeting back on March 27, Colgate wasted no time jumping on the board this time.
Taylor Ludwick stroked an RBI double off the wall in right-center and two more runs scored on an error to push the Raiders in front 3-0 in the bottom of the first.
Holy Cross' Bailey Bates drove a single up the middle to score a run in the top of the second, and a defensive miscue added another to trim the deficit to 3-2 after two innings.
After the visitors tied the game in the top of the third, Colgate responded in the home half to reclaim the lead for good.
Adrienne Nardone led off with a single up the middle and scored two batters later after
Mia Guevarra lined a base hit through the right side.
Bailey Misken was in a groove through the fifth and finished the sixth with a strikeout to strand the tying run on second base.
Virginia Irby provided an insurance run in the bottom of the inning after roping a double and scoring on an error to extend the late lead to 5-3.
Misken put a stamp on her complete game effort with a scoreless seventh and Colgate secured the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader 5-3. She allowed two earned runs and struck out three while scattering seven hits over seven innings to improve to 5-6 on the season.
The Crusaders' Nelson got the best of the Raiders on March 27, striking out 15 in an eight-inning shutout. But Colgate turned the tables on Saturday, chasing Nelson after four innings and piling up nine hits in the victory. Irby and
Morgan Farrah led the Raiders with two hits apiece.
Game 2: Colgate 3, Holy Cross 0
Bella Crow stole the show in the series finale, firing a two-hit shutout with a season-high eight strikeouts. She faced just two batters over the minimum in the complete game victory.
The final Holy Cross base hit came in the fourth inning and that base runner was quickly erased with an inning-ending double play. The Crusaders never reached third base and only saw second base once in the seventh, but Crow stranded her there with a game-ending strikeout to cap the victory.
Irby ignited the Raider offense with a leadoff home run to dead center field in the bottom of the first. Nardone worked a walk to open the second inning and later scored on an infield single by Guevarra.
Christiana Cottrell added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0.
Neither pitcher allowed a run the rest of the way. Crow recorded a strikeout in each of the last three innings, including her eighth punchout for the final out of the game to seal the 3-0 triumph and doubleheader sweep.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Marissa Lamison-Myers
On honoring the senior class and fifth-year Virginia Irby:
"I am so proud of this group. Over their four-plus years, and especially this season, they have embraced every challenge with poise and never let it get in their way. This group has contributed in a huge way over the course of their careers and that continued with two more wins today."
On Bella Crow's pitching performance:
"Bella was outstanding in the circle in Game 2 today. Her confidence drove the result. We are now focused on next weekend and what we need to do to prepare for a solid Bucknell team."
NOTES
•
Bella Crow became the 10th player in program history to eclipse 200 career strikeouts (201).
• The senior pitcher also moved into a tie for 10th all-time in shutouts with six.
• Colgate honored
Christiana Cottrell,
Mia Guevarra,
Virginia Irby and Crow, who played their final regular season home games, with a pregame Senior Day ceremony.
• Those four contributed to four runs scored and earned a win in the circle.
•
Virginia Irby has reached base safely in 12 consecutive games dating back to April 10.
• Colgate caps the regular season with a 12-4 home record, its most home wins since scoring 12 in 2002.
UP NEXT
Colgate wraps up its regular season with a pivotal four-game series at Bucknell next weekend. The two teams battle for second place with doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday slated for noon and 2 p.m. ESPN+ is providing the live coverage.
