HAMILTON - Colgate Softball salvaged a doubleheader split with Cornell, dropping the opening game 7-1 before bouncing back to win the nightcap 8-3 on Wednesday at Eaton Street Softball Complex.
Quinn Livesay drove in three runs and Adrienne Nardone finished four-for-eight with a pair of RBIs, while Rachel Carney reached base safely five times in the doubleheader to highlight Colgate's scoring production.
Jenna Geffert shined in the circle, firing five and one-third innings of relief in the nightcap. She entered a jam in the top of the first and went on to allow three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out three to secure her first win as a Raider.
Game 1 | Cornell 7, Colgate 1
Colgate jumped on the board with an RBI double from Livesay in the bottom of the first inning, driving in Carney to put the Raiders up 1-0. Carney opened the game with an infield single and served as Livesay's 15th RBI of the season.
The Raiders had their chances but left runners on base in each of the next three innings. Carney worked a long at-bat before popping out with the bases loaded to keep the lead at 1-0 after four innings.
Starting pitcher Bailey Misken was stellar through five and two-thirds innings. She had three strikeouts and held the Cornell lineup scoreless until the opposition used a two-out rally in the top of the sixth.
With two outs and a 3-2 count, an RBI single gave Cornell a 2-1 lead. Two batters later, Lauren Holt drove a grand slam over the wall to conclude a six-run inning that gave the visitors a 6-1 advantage heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Colgate left 10 runners on base in total, dropping Game 1 by a final of 7-1.
Game 2 | Colgate 8, Cornell 3
Colgate once again got off to a hot start with two runs in the home half of the first. Cornell's pitcher had trouble finding the zone, walking three in the first, and an RBI double from Livesay opened an early 2-0 lead.
The Raiders pounded four hits in the bottom of the second. Carney cranked an RBI triple down the right field line, Nardone lifted a run-scoring double off the wall, and Livesay scored another with a single to right field to stretch the lead to 5-0.
Alexis Romero scored Colgate's sixth run on a throwing error in the home half of the third.
Insurance was added in the bottom of the sixth, when the Raiders added on two runs featuring a Nardone RBI double, and a Taylor Ludwick RBI single to push the lead to 8-1.
Alexa Acker and Geffert worked together on the mound to hold the Cornell lineup in check. Acker ran into trouble in the top of the first before being relieved by Geffert. Geffert allowed weak contact for most of the afternoon, allowing three runs before Acker came back in to pitch a scoreless seventh and close out the game.
The Raiders had the leadoff person on base in each of the first four innings of the second game to go along with 10 hits en route to the 8-3 victory.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Softball Coach Marissa Lamison-Myers
"I was really pleased with the way we bounced back in the second game today. Jenna worked us out of the bases-loaded jam in the first to set the tone. She worked extremely efficiently, and I am so proud of her. It was great to see our offense bounce back after a tough first game. Big RBI hits from Quinn and Addy boosted us. Now we get back to work and refocus for the weekend."
UP NEXT
Colgate (15-19, 5-1 Patriot) stays home for a three-game series against Lehigh this weekend at Eaton Street Softball Complex. First pitch on Saturday's doubleheader is set for noon.
