Softball Bounces Back To Split With Colgate
BOX ONE I BOX TWO
ALBANY, N.Y. – After the visiting Colgate Raiders rallied for three runs in the seventh to take a 6-4 win in game one, the University at Albany softball team rebounded for a 6-3 victory in the nightcap of Tuesday's doubleheader at Albany Field.
Sophomore Mackenzie Thompson earned the win, allowing three runs and five hits, while striking out three in four innings of work. Out of the pen, freshman Devin Durando picked up the save, tossing three scoreless and hitless innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Offensively, the Great Danes outhit Colgate 11-5 in the triumph led by Liz Snow's 3-for-3 effort with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Kelly Costello recorded a team-high three runs batted in, going 2-for-3 at the plate, while senior Vicky McFarland (2-for-4) and junior Maggie Cocks (2-for-3) also recorded multiple hits.
UAlbany jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, stringing together five hits off Colgate starter Kira Griswold. After McFarland led off with a single, Cocks lined an RBI double to the centerfield gap with one out, and Snow followed with a single through the left side. With two on and one out, Solano doubled off the centerfield fence, plating one, and Costello capped the inning with a two-run scoring single to right-center.
In the third, the Raiders broke onto the board with Mariel Schlaefer's two-run home run. UAlbany got one run back in the bottom of the inning, as Snow singled through the left side and Costello ripped a double down the left field line, making the score 5-2.
In the fourth, Colgate's Holly Geranen belted a leadoff home run over the left field wall, but that would be the visitor's final run of the day.
The Danes added an insurance run in the fifth on Cocks' leadoff single up the middle, Snow's double to center, and Solano's RBI groundout.
Griswold (3-6) took the loss, allowing five runs and seven hits in the opening three innings. In relief, Megan Carnase threw the last three frames, allowing a run and four hits.
In game one, UAlbany took a 1-0 lead in the first on Cock's RBI single to right that brought home McFarland.
Colgate answered with two runs in the fourth on a trio of singles, and tacked on a run in the fifth on Tara Grennan's solo home run for a 3-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Danes tied it up, 3-3, as Cocks drew a leadoff single, Snow doubled to left, and Solano's sac fly brought in one before an fielding error with two outs allowed pinch runner Jules Holbert to cross the plate.
However, in the seventh, Colgate rallied for three runs on Marisa Dowling's RBI single and Grennan's second blast of the game – a two-run home run to left.
The Danes threatened in the bottom of the seventh, as McFarland and Cocks strung together a pair of singles for a run, but the Raiders' Brigit Ieuter drew the final out, preserving the complete-game win.
Ieuter (8-2) allowed four runs (two earned) and seven hits, while striking out six.
For UAlbany, reliever Nicole Parks (0-1) took the loss, allowing three runs and three hits, striking out three in the final two innings. Starter Erynn Sobieski threw the opening five frames, credited with three runs and five hits, while striking out two.
Up next, the Great Danes wrap up their 12-game home stand with a doubleheader against Cornell Wednesday at 3 p.m.
