KISSIMMEE, FL. (3/14/2010) – Jennifer Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) posted three hits and Michelle Hollebeke (North Reading, Mass.) scattered nine hits over seven innings as Colgate downed Marist 6-2 in its opening game at Rebel Games, Sunday afternoon outside of Orlando. The Raiders fell to Rider 5-4 in their second game.
Colgate, 8-2 overall, scored all it needed against the Red Foxes in the opening inning. Melissa Babb-Renta (Glenview, Ill.) led off with a single up the middle. After Alana Dyson (Grovetown, Ga.) was hit by a pitch, Ortega stretched her hit streak to 15 games with a two-run triple. The Raiders got their third run of the frame as the sophomore crossed the plate as Stephanie Hartquist (Homer, N.Y.) laced a single to right.
The lead grew in the third inning as Colgate manufactured two more runs on two singles, a pair of walks and a fielder’s choice. Natalie Siedhof (Canton, Pa.) drew a bases loaded walk that brought home Hartquist, while Amanda Zranchev (Budd Lake, N.J.) plated Nicole Siedhof (Canton, Pa.) with a two-out single to left.
After Marist crossed the plate once in the bottom of the third inning, the Raiders, who tallied 13 hits in the win, answered with its final run of the game in the top of the fourth. Hartquist, who posted one of three singles in the inning, scored from third on a passed ball.
Marist, which scored its last run in the bottom of the seventh, fell to 1-6 overall on the year. Hollebeke fanned four batters and improved to 3-0 for the Raiders.
Rider pushed across an unearned run in the top of the seventh in what turned out to be the game winner. However, Colgate had one last crack. Hartquist led off with a single and was bunted over to second. The sophomore advanced to third on a groundout before the Broncs got the last out on a pop up to second.
Down 1-0, the Raiders tied the game in the bottom of the second. Colgate got back-to-back singles by the Siedhof sisters before Emmie Dolfi (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) brought Nicole Siedhof home from second with a run scoring single to center.
After the Broncs posted three in the top of the third to gain a 4-1 advantage, Colgate answered with two in the third. Ortega led off with a walk and then advanced to second on a single by Brittany Hanrahan (Frankfort, Ill.). Ortega scored from second on a single up the middle by Nicole Siedhof. The junior advanced to second on the throw home. Natalie Siedhof followed with a single that brought her sister home from second.
The Raiders knotted the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth as Hartquist laced a two-out single to center to bring home Dyson from second. The freshman posted a one-out single up the middle and got in scoring position on a groundout by Ortega.
Both Siedhof’s, Hartquist and Dolfi each posted two-hit outings versus the Broncs. Ortega’s hit streak came to a close against Rider as the sophomore went hitless in three at bats.
Jesse McCarrick (Oak Hill, Va.) gave up six hits and two unearned runs over five innings. Hollebeke entered in the sixth and surrendered one unearned run, but suffered the loss.
The Raiders have the day off Monday, but will return to action Tuesday with a pair of games starting with the University of Hartford at 9 a.m., while a rematch with Manhattan is to follow at 11 a.m.