Raiders .500 in League Play after Opening Weekend
By Kat Castner
(West Point, NY – March 31, 2013) The Colgate softball team had no problem bouncing back from two tough losses on Saturday as they swept Army by the scores of 3-2 and 7-2 Sunday afternoon.
Colgate (7-17, 2-2 PL) received top performances from rookies Marisa Dowling and Mariel Schlaefer. Dowling went 3-for-7 and added three runs and one RBI on the day. Schlaefer went 3-for-6 with one run and one RBI.
Junior Tera Vaughn also had a big day for the Raiders, going 2-for-5, scoring two runs and driving home three. Eileen Ornousky added two hits, two runs and three RBIs on the afternoon as well.
Army (14-13, 2-2 PL) saw Alex Reynolds record two hits, one run and one RBI in the two games, while Marina Northup added two hits and one RBI. Amanda Nguyen posted two hits and Christian McKone had one hit and one RBI for the Black Knights.
The Raiders scored five runs in the top of the fifth to run away with their second win of the day.
Dowling put Colgate on the board first when she hit a solo home run to left field in the first inning. Her blast gave the freshman her second homer in as many days. The Raiders increased their advantage to 2-0 following another home run to left field. This time it was Vaughn who recorded her second round-tripper of the season.
Army tied the game at 2-all in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Nguyen singled to the pitcher to get a runner on base. The next batter, Kasey McCravey, reached on a fielder’s choice when the Raiders tagged Nguyen out at second. But before Colgate could get out of the inning, Reynolds doubled into the right-center field gap to score McCravey. Reynolds advanced to third on an error, which put her in prime scoring position. She then reached home on a wild pitch to knot the game at 2-2.
Colgate retook its lead in the top of the seventh following five big runs. Alana Dyson singled to center field before advancing to second following a Dowling single to the pitcher. Schlaefer moved the runners into scoring position when she singled to left field. The next batter, senior captain Emmie Dolfi singled to left field, scoring Dyson.
Ornousky then doubled to left field, scoring two more runs for the Raiders as both Dowling and Schlaefer touched home. Vaughn finished out the scoring when she laced a two-run single to left field. Ornousky and Dolfi crossed home to create a five-run margin between the teams.
Courtney O’Connell got three quick outs in the bottom half of the inning to secure the win for the Raiders. O’Connell earned her third win of the season after she went seven innings and allowed four hits and only two runs.
Army saw Morgan Lashley pitch seven innings, giving up nine hits and seven runs.
In the first game of the doubleheader, it was yet again Colgate that jumped out to the early lead. Following a scoreless first inning, the Raiders tallied three runs in the second to take the 3-0 advantage. With only one out, Vaughn earned a walk to get a Raider on base. Dowling singled to left center, advancing Vaughn to second. Ornousky plated Vaughn after she singled to right field. Ornousky was able to advance to second on the throw, which moved Dowling to third.
Colgate then found itself with three on and two outs following a Dyson walk. Haley Fleming earned another walk, which allowed Dowling to reach home. The next batter, Schlaefer, singled to score Ornousky and increase the lead to 3-0.
Army cut the Raiders advantage to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Rae Anne Payleitner doubled to right center to kick off the inning for the Black Knights. Colgate recorded one out before Ali Cleinmark singled through the right side, advancing Savanna Aversa, who had come in to pinch run for Payleitner, to third. The next batter, McKone, grounded out to the shortstop, which allowed Aversa to score.
The Black Knights notched another run in the bottom of the fifth to pull to within 3-2. McCravey reached first and then advanced to second on a throwing error to place her in scoring position. Colgate recorded two outs before Northup singled to left field, scoring McCravey.
Colgate held off Army in the last two innings for its first conference win of the season.
Winning pitcher Brigit Iueter went 5.2 innings, giving up six hits and two runs. Reliever Megan Carnase came on to finish the game for the Raiders, pitching the last 1.1 innings on the mound.
Braetana Roy pitched all seven innings for the Black Knights, allowing five hits and three runs.
Colgate is back in action Tuesday for a doubleheader at Albany against the Great Danes. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., with a tentative start time of 4:30 p.m. for the second game.