OPENING PITCH
For only the fourth time in the last 20 years, the Patriot League Tournament will be hosted by someone else other than Lehigh. Colgate, which will serve as the tournament’s fourth seed will the regular-season champs and tournament host Army in the opening round of the tournament. The two teams, who just played a doubleheader Friday, will square off on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at the Army Softball Complex. Second-seeded Lehigh will tangle with the third seeded Bucknell Bison in the other semifinal. The event, which lasts three days, is double elimination with the winner receiving an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Colgate’s appearance in the Patriot League Tournament will be its 12th in head coach Vickie Sax’s 13-year reign. The Raiders, who prevailed in 1999, 2003 and 2007, will be seeking their fourth tournament title.
LAST YEAR AT THE TOURNAMENT
Colgate, which carried the second seed into the three-day event at Lehigh, was eliminated in its second game by Lafayette 8-5. The Raiders fell to Bucknell 7-3 in the opening round to fall into the loser’s bracket.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Colgate first started softball in 1979. Since that first pitch, the Raiders have compiled a 588-552-2 overall record. Colgate has appeared in three NCAA Tournaments back in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
THE HEAD COACH
Vickie Sax is in her 13th season at the helm of the program and holds a career mark of 311-283-1 since accepting the position. The veteran coach posted her 300th victory with a 4-0 blanking of Hartford on March 20 in Kissimmee, Fla. Since 1998, she has tallied nine seasons of 20 or more victories, including last season’s 25-18 record. In 2004, Sax piloted Colgate to a 34-17 record, a school record for wins in a single-season. She has been honored as the Patriot League Coach of the Year three times – in 2003; shared the honor in 2007 and outright won it again in 2009. With her two victories over Holy Cross, she reached the 20-win mark for the 10th time in her 13 years at the helm of the program.
BRIEF LAST WEEKEND RECAP
Colgate was swept by visiting Army 7-3, 5-1 last Friday in Hamilton. The two-game sweep gave the Black Knights the regular season title and Patriot League Tournament hosting privileges. The Raiders and Courtney O’Connell held Army in check in the second game and possessed a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. With one out in the books, the Black Knights put together a five-run, six-hit inning to grab command. Colgate’s lone run was provided by Jennifer Ortega, who ripped her eighth homer of the year in the top of the second. The sophomore was the lone Raider to record a multi-hit game with two of Colgate’s six hits. In the opener, Stephanie Hartquist went three of four from the plate and Alana Dyson collected a pair of hits. With the game all square at 2-2, the Black Knights forged ahead for good with a two-run third.
SCOUTING ARMY
The Black Knights finished the regular season with a 32-18 overall mark, 15-5 in league play. Including its most recent sweep over Colgate, Army is 14-3 in its last 17 games. The Black Knights, who placed four players on all-tournament teams, possess a .295 team batting average with second team all-league honorees Erin McClain (.380, 3 HR, 32 RBI) and Alexis AuBuchon (.356, 3 HR, 24 RBI) leading the way. First team all-Patriot League selection Shawna Bleyl (14-4, 2.72 ERA) heads the pitching staff along with Bev Nordin (7-7, 3.00 ERA).
COLGATE VERSUS ARMY THIS YEAR
The Raiders went 1-3 against the Black Knights and were outscored 23-9. Offensively, Colgate tallied a .263 batting average against Army in the four games with freshman Alana Dyson (.500, 0 HR, 0 RBI) serving as the catalyst. Sophomores Stephanie Hartquist (.385, 0 HR, 1 RBI) and Jennifer Ortega (.364, 1 HR, 2 RBI) each had some success versus the Black Knights at the plate. Emmie Dolfi (.273, 2 HR, 3 RBI) hit the most homers and drove in the most runs in the four games. In the circle, freshman Courtney O’Connell (1-1, 3.77 ERA, 11 K in 13 IP) had the most success of any Colgate pitcher versus Army.
LEHIGH AT A GLIMPSE
The Mountain Hawks enter the opening round sporting a 31-17 overall record and finished the Patriot League regular season with a 14-6 mark. Lehigh had seven representatives on all-league teams including four first team selections. Offensively, the Mountain Hawks are paced by the 2010 Patriot League Player of the Year in sophomore Julie Fernandez (.444, 3 HR, 21 RBI), fellow first teamer Jen Colquohoun (.303, 5 HR, 34 RBI) and second team honoree Alex Cueva (.366, 4 HR, 38 RBI). On the mound, Lehigh has second team honoree Rebecca Bliss (10-7, 3.42 ERA, two shutouts) and league pitcher of the year Tiffany Curtis (17-8, 3.68, four shutouts). The Mountain Hawks head to West Point with a three-game win streak and have won five of their last six.
COLGATE VERSUS LEHIGH THIS YEAR
In the four-game set played on the opening weekend of league play, Lehigh won three of four games versus Colgate. However, all four games between the Raiders and Mountain Hawks were decided by one run. Four starters had batting averages over .300 with Stephanie Hartquist (.583, 0 HR, 2 RBI) leading the way. Emmie Dolfi (.333, 0 HR, 3 RBI), Amanda Zranchev (.300, 0 HR, 0 RBI) and Nicole Siedhof (.300, 1 HR, 4 RBI) rounded out the players that posted averages of .300 or better. On the mound, Courtney O’Connell (1-0, 10.50 ERA) was credited with the win after allowing one earned run in three innings of relief. Michelle Hollebeke (0-3, 2.94 ERA), who has been out since late April, pitched 16.2 of the 26.2 innings versus Lehigh.
BUCKNELL AT A GLIMPSE
The Bison travel to West Point with a 24-17-1 overall record and finished league play with an 11-9 mark. Bucknell placed four players on all-league teams including a pair on the first team. Offensively, the Bison sport a .317 team batting average. First team all-league honoree Lauren Fry (.400, 2 HR, 24 RBI) and Allison Ford (.365, 3 HR, 29 RBI) serve as two major offensive threats for the Bison. Alex MacLean (9-4, 2.75 ERA), the league rookie of the year, and Bridget Gates (12-5, 2.81 ERA) head the pitching staff. Bucknell has dropped four of its last six decisions and hasn’t played since wrapping up its league schedule versus Army on May 2.
COLGATE VERSUS BUCKNELL THIS YEAR
Bucknell won three of four meetings and outscored the Raiders 30-18. Offensively, Colgate hit .297 as a team against the Bison and scored 4.5 runs per game. Alana Dyson (.500, 2 triples, 0 HR, 5 RBI) paced the Raiders offensively, while Stephanie Hartquist (.467, 0 HR, 4 RBI) and Melissa Babb-Renta (.462, 0 HR, 1 RBI) also had batting averages over .400 versus Bucknell. In the circle, Courtney O’Connell (1-2, 4.39 ERA) pitched 22.1 of the 26.2 innings during the four-game set in Lewisburg.
ALL-LEAGUE SELECTIONS
Stephanie Hartquist and Nicole Siedhof were named first team all-Patriot League honorees, while Alana Dyson was honored as a second team selection. For Hartquist, it marks the second consecutive season she has received league accolades. As a freshman in 2009, she was a second team selection.
CAREER TOP 10 ADJUSTMENTS
With their respective performances this year, a few current Raiders have vaulted into the top 20 on the all-time lists. Jennifer Ortega has moved into fifth in homers (15), 12th in RBI (63), 15th in runs scored (73) and 17th in total bases (159). Fellow sophomore Stephanie Hartquist is 15th in RBI (59), tied for 19th in doubles (18), while junior Nicole Siedhof ranks tied for eighth in homers (9) and is tied for 16th in RBI (57). Freshman Natalie Siedhof’s four homers are tied for 19th on the all-time list.
SINGLE SEASON LIST UPDATES
With at least two games left, a few Raiders have ventured into the top 10 on the single season lists. Stephanie Hartquist has moved into the top 10 in four categories – tied for second in hits (60), fifth in doubles (14), tied for fifth in RBI (39), and is tied for seventh in runs scored (37). Jennifer Ortega has also moved into the top 10 in four statistical categories as well – tied for seventh in RBI (36) and runs scored (37), ranks tied for eighth in homers (8), and stands all alone in eighth in total bases (88). Other hitters to eclipse the top 10 include Alana Dyson (tied for fourth in runs scored – 39 and tied for fifth in triples – 4) and Nicole Siedhof (tied for seventh in RBI – 36). Hartquist’s .420 batting average would stand tied for seventh in Colgate history.
INSEASON WEEKLY AWARDS
For the third time in her career, Michelle Hollebeke was named the Patriot League pitcher of the week on March 22. The sophomore went 5-0 on the week with a 0.50 earned run average. In her 28 innings of work, she scattered 15 hits and only allowed two earned runs, while walking five and striking out 12. She went the distance on a six-hitter in a 4-0 victory over Hartford in her last outing in Florida. She became the second Raider to receive league weekly honors this year. Jennifer Ortega was named the player of the week March 8. Courtney O’Connell added Rookie of the Week honors on May 3 following her efforts against Lafayette in the circle.
RECORDS WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN
Jennifer Ortega’s stolen base in the first inning of the doubleheader versus Army last Friday gave Colgate 59 stolen bases on the year, which broke the single season for thefts by the Raiders. The former record of 58 was set back in 2000. Emmie Dolfi broke the single-season putouts list. The freshman has 398 on the season which bested the former mark of 347 set back in 2001 by Melissa Rawson.
RECORD WATCH
There are three single-season Colgate records in jeopardy as the Raiders head to compete in the Patriot League Tournament. Alana Dyson has 56 hits on the season. She needs one more to break the single season freshman record, which she currently shares with Melissa Rawson (2000). Dyson is also two stolen bases shy of tying Colgate all-time record of 21 set by Amanda Paolucci back in 2000. Stephanie Hartquist has 60 hits on the year which is tied for second on the single season list. The sophomore is four hits from tying and five from breaking Rawson’s mark of 64 set in 2001.
SETTING THE TABLE
The Raiders are getting on base .473 as a team in lead off situations (142-300). Colgate has five regulars who are reaching first base 50 percent of the time or higher while leading off an inning. Stephanie Hartquist has been impressive when leading off an inning as her .593 (16-27) average can attest, while Alana Dyson is 15 of 27 (.556), Jennifer Ortega (19-35 - .543), Natalie Siedhof (21-40 - .525) and Nicole Siedhof (14-28 - .500) all have reached base at least 50 percent of the time when leading off an inning.
RALLY ON TWO
Colgate hitters have combined to drive in 77 runs with two outs in an inning. All six of Stephanie Hartquist’s runs batted in versus Lafayette two weekends ago came with two outs in a frame. The sophomore leads the team with 17, while Nicole and Natalie Siedhof rank second and third with 14 and 10 two-out RBI.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Colgate brings the 37th best team batting average (.298) and 50th best scoring offense (5.22 rpg) into Thursday’s game with Army. Individually, Colgate was well represented among the top 50 in several statistical categories. Stephanie Hartquist was tied for first with four others with six sacrifice flies on the year, while freshman Alana Dyson was second nationally with 0.41 sacrifice bunts per game and is tied for 38th with four triples. Hartquist was ranked among the top 50 in three other categories including being the 23rd toughest player in the Division I ranks to strike out (once every 20.4 at bats), 26th in batting average (.420), and 48th in doubles per game (0.3). Nicole Siedhof was moved into the top 20 in sacrifice flies with four, which stands tie for 15th.