WORCESTER, Mass. – Colgate's bats were stymied in another pitching duel and Holy Cross came out on the winning end of Sunday's softball series finale 3-0 at Freshman Field.
 
The same two pitchers who met in Saturday's tightly-contested nightcap went toe-to-toe again in the series finale on Sunday. Bailey Misken and Holy Cross' Kelly Nelson combined for nine strikeouts and allowed just four hits through the first four scoreless innings.
 
Colgate threatened in the top of the second after Steph Jacoby led off with a double that one-hopped to the fence in left field. Adrienne Nardone reached on an error and the Raiders had runners on second and third with nobody out but they couldn't cash in on the opportunity.
 
Nardone poked a double into right field in the top of the fourth but she was stranded in scoring position after a strikeout from Nelson ended the inning. Misken also stranded a Holy Cross runner at second base in the fourth as both aces came up with big pitches in key moments.
 
The Crusaders broke through for three runs in the home half of the fifth. Jessie Nagel with two runners on base brought both home on a double into the right-center gap. She scored one batter later on another double from Erin Bengston to push the Crusader lead to 3-0.
 
Rebecca Johnson ended the inning with a diving catch down the left field line but unfortunately the damage had been done. Borruso struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth but Colgate couldn't carry over the momentum and came up short 3-0.


 
Misken saddled the loss, allowing one earned run in 4 1/3 innings of work. She struck out four in her third straight appearance of the weekend. Borruso also struck out four while allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
 
Jillian Herbst, Morgan Farrah, Elizabeth Nitka, Jacoby, and Nardone registered Colgate's hits.
 
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Colgate (11-15, 2-1 Patriot) is home for the first time this season on Tuesday when the Raiders host Binghamton for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m.