SYRACUSE, N.Y. (5/1/09) – Erin Gomez (Lawrenceville, NJ) hit a three-run homer in the nightcap to lift the Colgate softball team to a 5-1 win over Syracuse Friday night giving the Raiders a split of their non-conference doubleheader against the Orange. SU won the opener, 6-0.
Colgate (25-16) defeats the Orange (29-19) for the first time in four meetings.
In the opener, Syracuse opened the scoring in the first inning when Nicole Miller drove home Stephanie Watts with a double, after Watts led off with a walk and stole second. Later in the inning, Amy Kelley scored from third on a throwing error by catcher Meg Mylan (Upper Montclair, NJ). Lindsay Wasek hit a home run to left field with two outs in the second to give the Orange a 3-0 lead, and Hallie Gibbs followed with the solo shot for a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning.
Syracuse closed out the scoring with Leah Porter’s two-run double in the sixth inning. Jenna Caira (15-9) worked the first six innings allowing four hits, while striking out two and walking one. Angie Sagnelli finished up in relief allowing one hit in the seventh inning and striking out one.
Colgate managed to get only two runners in scoring position, when Tiana Tyeseky (Granite Bay, CA) reached second in the fourth inning and Mylan in the seventh inning. Jennifer Ortega (Aberdeen, NJ), Calla Yee (Salinas, CA), Stephanie Hartquist (Homer, NY), Mylan and Gomez had one hit apiece for the Raiders.
Sophomore Lacy Ver Steeg (6-6) (Elk Grove, CA) pitched the first five innings for the Raiders giving up five hits, three earned runs, striking out five and walking two. Michelle Hollebeke (North Reading, MA) threw the sixth inning, allowing three hits, two runs, walking one and striking out one.
In the nightcap, the Orange took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, when Watts led off with a walk and stole second. She came home on Gibbs’ single to centerfield. The Raiders tied the game in the second inning, when they strung together five straight hits. Ashley Rowe (Tampa, FL) scored on a double by Mylan, but Colgate unfortunately left the bases loaded.
Colgate exploded for four runs in the fifth inning for a 5-1 lead. With one out, Ortega singled, and Yee followed with another single, moving Ortega to second. Then with two outs, Rowe singled home Ortega, and Gomez followed with a three-run homer over the right field fence.
Junior Jesse McCarrick (11-4) (Oak Hill, VA) gave up eight hits, while striking out two and walking one in a complete game effort. Rowe, Gomez and Melissa Babb-Renta (Glenview, IL) had two hits apiece for the Raiders.
Colgate returns to action next Thursday in the opening round of the Patriot League Tournament when the Raiders face Bucknell at 4 p.m.
(Game #1 Boxscore)
(Game #2 Boxscore)