BOSTON – Colgate split its final day of the Patriot League tournament with a pair of 4-3 decisions on Friday at the BU Softball Field. The Raiders knocked off Army to keep their season alive, but could not complete the doubleheader sweep and saw their season come to an end with a loss to Lehigh.
 
Colgate finishes the season 16-15-1 overall with a 13-9-1 Patriot League record. The 13 conference wins are the most for the Raiders since racking up 16 en route to a regular season championship in 2011.
 
Mia Guevarra was Colgate's offensive leader with three hits in Friday's doubleheader. Steph Jacoby and Adrienne Nardone each finished with two hits, while Virginia Irby had three RBIs.
 
Bella Crow and Bailey Misken were warriors in the circle. After both appearing in Thursday's opener, the duo combined to throw 14 innings on Friday and came so close to piecing together a sweep.
 
Game 1: Colgate 4, Army 3
Colgate's first base runner against Army came in the top of the fourth and the Raiders took advantage by scoring three runs on two hits and a couple free passes to take the lead. Taylor Ludwick and Morgan Farrah worked back-to-back walks before Adrienne Nardone drove an RBI single into left.
 
Kara Fusco followed with a sacrifice fly and Guevarra scored Nardone on a single to right field to give Colgate a 3-1 advantage in the top of the fourth.
 
Army strung together single runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 3-3, but that's when Jacoby saved the best for last. Thursday's cleanup hitter came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh on Friday, and she took the first pitch she saw and crushed it over everything in left field.
 
Jacoby's sixth home run of the season was a solo shot to push Colgate in front 4-3. Misken capped off the win by inducing a 6-4-3 double play and the Raiders secured their first postseason win since 2015.
 
Game 2: Lehigh 4, Colgate 3
Game 2 started with a similar script as the Raiders had just two hits through four innings. Lehigh held a 2-0 lead, but Colgate's bats caught fire again and the Raiders rattled off three runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh. Jacoby doubled, Guevarra singled, and Christiana Cottrell reached safely on a bunt to load the bases. Irby stepped to the dish and brought everybody home with a three-run double down the left field line and suddenly the Raiders were in front 3-2.  
 
The 3-2 edge carried all the way to the top of the seventh, where the Raiders were one out – and one strike – away from advancing to Saturday's championship round. An 0-2 pitch from Misken was just outside, and then Carley Barjaktarovich took the next pitch up the middle for a base hit. The very next pitch was a two-run double from Emily Cimino and Lehigh jumped in front 4-3.
 
Kaitlyn Borruso reached on a walk in the bottom of the seventh, but Colgate could not capitalize and the season ended with a 4-3 loss to the Mountain Hawks.
 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Marissa Lamison-Myers
 
On the senior class and the program:
"I am so incredibly proud of our seniors and the way they led our team through this difficult year. This group has left a lasting mark on the program. We may have fallen short in Game 2 today, but there were so many positives to take away. I can say with confidence the excitement of Colgate Softball is back. I couldn't be more excited for our future."
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• Colgate took three out of four games from Lehigh April 17-18, marking its first-ever four-game series victory over the Mountain Hawks. It was the first series win of any kind against Lehigh since 2011.
• Colgate's 25 home runs ranked atop the Patriot League and its .290 team average ranked third.
• The Raiders landed four All-Patriot League honorees, their most nods since 2012.
• Colgate won all but two conference series this season, taking three out of four games from Holy Cross, Lehigh, Lafayette, and Army.
• The Raiders advanced to the Patriot League tournament for the second time in three years behind 13 conference wins, their most since securing the regular season championship with 16 in 2011.
• Morgan Farrah continues to climb the career home runs chart, bashing seven in 2021 to move into fifth place all-time with 21. 
• Virginia Irby caps her stellar career ranked  fifth all-time in runs scored (116), tied for fifth in doubles (34), 13th in hits (157), and tied for 16th in home runs (11).
• Bella Crow became the 10th player in program history to eclipse 200 career strikeouts, plus she ranks 10th all-time in shutouts (6).