HOUSTON, Texas — Colgate softball registered its first win of the 2024 season on the back of junior catcher
Quinn Livesay, who notched a personal-best four RBIs on two home runs in a 9-1 victory against Indiana State on Saturday. Later in the day, Colgate jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Rutgers but could not quite hold on, falling to the Scarlet Knights, 7-4.
"I was really happy with the way we came out today," head coach Marissa Lamison-Myers said. "After a tough first day, we showed grit and determination. We are going to continue to make the adjustments needed."
Game 1 - Colgate 9, Indiana State 1
The Raiders' bats were hot early against the Sycamores with Kiley Shelton logging her first career hit in the first inning, a two-run home run over the left field wall. Adrienne Nardone scampered home one batter later on a passed ball, and after Nora Megenity picked up the first RBI of her career to score Livesay, Colgate was up 4-0 after one.
Indiana State cut into the lead with a sacrifice fly in the second, but that was as close as the Sycamores would get after Livesay lifted a solo shot to increase the lead to 5-1 in the third.
In the top of the fifth, Nardone propelled herself into eighth place for most home runs in program history with her 18th career dinger. Just three pitches later, Livesay blasted her second long ball of the game to tack on a few more insurance runs for the Raiders.
The junior catcher was not done, either, as she added two more RBIs on a single in the top of the seventh. The three-hit game was only the third of Livesay's career, and she notched a personal-best four RBIs in the Raiders' first win of the 2024 season.
Game 2 - Colgate 4, Rutgers 7
The Raiders were retired in order to open game two but found success in the bottom of the second. Livesay worked the count to earn a walk before Kara Fusco put the ball in play and forced an error by the left fielder, allowing Livesay to score from first.
Megenity made it two straight games with an RBI when she knocked in Fusco on a fielder's choice, and Elizabeth Nitka stole home after bunting her way on base.
The Raiders rounded out the four-run second inning when Claire Whalen grounded out to third but drove in Megenity for an RBI.
The Scarlet Knights did not give in easily, scoring runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to even the score at four heading into the sixth. With the Raider bats silenced after a big second frame, Rutgers eventually pulled away in the top of the sixth to hand Colgate its third loss of the season.
UP NEXT
The Raiders round out the Houston Invitational with a game against the Indiana State Sycamores at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
