Game One: UAlbany 8, Colgate 2
Game Two: Colgate 4, UAlbany 1
Records: UAlbany (11-9), Colgate (12-16)
Location: Albany Field – Albany, N.Y.
Short Story: The University at Albany softball team split its 2019 home opener with Colgate on Saturday afternoon. After the offense propelled the Great Danes to an 8-2 win in game one, it was the Raiders who secured the 4-1 victory in the nightcap.
Highlights:
Game 1
The Great Danes scored all eight of their runs in the first three innings of the contest. Miramontez began the game with an outfield single before stealing second, advancing to third on a fly out and eventually coming around to score on a ground ball by Sarah Petzold. On the next at bat, Henige sent a solo shot over the center field fence to give her team a two-run advantage, before Jimenez extended her team's lead to 3-0 with an RBI single.
The Raiders went yard in the top of the second to cut the difference to 3-1 but the Great Danes tacked on a pair of runs in the home half of the inning following a miscue from Colgate's infield.
UAlbany added three runs on four hits to extend their lead to 8-1 in the third. Colgate tallied a run in the top of the fifth but would not get any closer as UAlabny would go on to win their home opener, 8-2.
Verdolivo allowed three hits in 4.0 innings pitched as she notched her eighth win of the season. Taylor Light pitched 3.0 innings of relief for the Great Danes, finishing the contest with one strikeout.
Game 2
The Raiders broke open a 0-0 gridlock with a four-spot in the fifth inning. The visitors jumped out to a 1-0 lead following an RBI double from Meghan Romero. The lead was soon extended to 4-0 thanks to a three-run shot by Virginia Irby.
Miramontez went 2-for-3 in the effort, including a double that scored the team's only run in the home half of the fifth inning.
Colgate's Kaitlyn Borruso (2-2) would go on to retire the final six UAlbany batters on her way to earning the win in the circle.
Jimenez (3-4) struck out three Raiders in the loss.
Up Next: The Great Danes open conference play next weekend as they welcome Hartford to Albany Field for a three-game series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.
