WEST POINT, N.Y. – Colgate softball dropped a pair of games against Army on Saturday afternoon. The Raiders fell 5-4 in eight innings before dropping a close contest of 3-1.
The Black Knights clinched the third seed in the 2023 Patriot League Tournament after taking both games in today's twin bill.
Two Raiders recorded milestones after Senior Rachel Carney broke the single-season stolen base record with her 22nd stolen plate of the season in game one, and Junior Kara Fusco nailed her 100th career hit in game two of the day.
GAME 1 | Army 5, Colgate 4
Colgate struck first in the game scoring three runs in the opening inning. Carney started the offense with a walk, then her record-breaking stolen base to put herself in scoring position. Fusco singled to left center to advance Carney even further and then was brought home on the next at-bat after catcher Quinn Livesay singled to right field. Steph Jacoby doubled two at-bats later to push Fusco and Livesay past home plate and the score to 3-0.
The Raider bats continued to stay hot in the second as Jillian Herbst hit an RBI single that extended the lead to four runs.
Army came to life in the third inning after putting Colgate's batters down in order in the top of the third and then scoring off a wild pitch to trail 4-1 after the bottom half of the inning.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, with Bailey Misken and the defense leaving two runners stranded in the bottom of the fourth.
The Black Knights slashed the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, forcing Mia Edwards to come into the game to relieve Misken.
Colgate's last offensive spark was in the top of the seventh as Bailey Burns walked and Carney singled, but both were ultimately left stranded to end the Raiders' offensive efforts.
Army went on to tie the game at four in the bottom of the seventh with a sacrifice fly and then took the game with a final tally of 5-4 after hitting a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth.
GAME 2 | Army 3, Colgate 1
Unlike the first game both teams were held scoreless till the Black Knights broke the scoring lull in the sixth inning.
Three pitchers made appearance in the game as
Alexa Acker pitched an inning,
Jenna Geffert, two, and Edwards saw the most time on the mound with three innings.
Army took the lead in the bottom of the sixth after hitting a two-run homer off Edwards then a single off Acker to lead 3-0.
The Raiders sole run of the game came in the top of the seventh as sophomore Herbst singled to left field to start an offensive spark. Junior Fusco singled to left center on the next at-bat to advance Herbst into scoring position. Catcher Livesay kept the offense going with Colgate's third straight single to score Herbst and cut the lead to 3-1.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, their comeback fell short as the Black Knights got the final out of the inning to hold the game at 3-1 and grab the win in seven innings.
UP NEXT
Colgate (17-30, 6-11 PL) looks to clinch the fourth seed in the 2023 Patriot League Tournament against Army on Sunday, May 7. First pitch is scheduled for noon in West Point.
