Softball
Early season news and Patriot League Preview
Last year Colgate tied for first place in the regular season and won the post season tournament to get the leagues automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Colgate has lost thier star pitcher, and the league as a whole looks like its going to be a lot more offensivly orientated. Returning from last years all Patriot league second team is Amanda Paolucci, Kerry Purvis and Lisa Belcher. Colgate was picked to finish 3rd in the Patriot league this year, but the top 4 teams are very tightly grouped. Early in the season, Colgate has been losing more than they have been winning, but they have also been improving a lot looking foward to the league schedule. Over spring break, the team played 14 games in Florida, and emerged with 4 victories. They also improved a whole lot over the course of the trip. With a small team this year, everyone is getting a lot of playing time and opportunities to perform and improve. Colgate is still searching for a regular starting pitcher, and 4 players and splitting up the time. At the plate, Stephanie Scott and Amanda Brickell are the players to watch, both have Avg.s over .400 right now. Colgate is 8-12 heading into their invintational.
April 8th - At Bucknell
Colgates season began on a very positive note. We were predicted to be right with Bucknell in the standings. The first game was a close one, but Colgate was hitting the ball well. Amanda Paolucci got 4 RBI's off 3 hits. Colgate trailed after 4, but took over in the 5th to regain the lead and win the game. Colgate's hitters contnued to produce in the second game, pulling ahead in the 3rd and leading 5-0 at one point. 3 different pitchers saw action for the Red Raiders, all performed well as Colgate wins both games 7-4 and 8-3.
April 15th - Holy Cross
Colgate took the lead first, but gave up 5 runs in the 3rd and 4th innings. Colgate took back 3 in the bottom of the 4th, but Holy Cross expanded thier lead again. Colgate did well at bat, but the Crusader offense was too much for Colgate. The second game started off much better for the Red Raiders, Colgate maintained a 3 run lead, but Holy Cross had an amazing 8 run rally with two outs in the 4th! The game was stopped after 5 innings. Colgate loses both to HC, 8-6 and 12-4.
April 16th - Army
After losing 2 to the lowest team in the league, Colgate split with the top team. Beth Haas was excellent on the mound in game 1, giving up just 5 hits and 3 walks. At the plate, Kerry Purvis and Amanda Paolucci both went 3 for 3. For Purvis, it would be enough to give her second on Colgates all time hits list. As a senior, she currently stands just 11 hits shy of breaking the current record, held by Melissa Mack. Colgate held the lead in the second game going into the top of the 7th. Army tied, then took the lead with two outs. Colgate tied it agian in the bottom of the 7th to cause extra innings. Army capitalized on a wild pitch and Colgate losses a heartbreaker. In the record books, Stephanie Scott and Kerry Purvis both broke the Colgate record for most runs scored in a career. They are tied at 82. Colgate wins the first game 4-2, but comes up short in the nitecap 4-3 in 8 innings.
April 23rd - At Lafayette
Not a whole lot to say about game 1, solid pitching by the Leopards and a 5 run 5th inning give them a convincing win. Game two was a bit more Colgate's style, strong hitting all game. Melissa Rawson went 3 for 3 at the plate. 3 other players had 2 hits in the game as well, that darn 5 run 5th got us again though. Colgate loses game 1 8-3, and the other 1 11-9.
April 24th - At Lehigh
Senior Kerry Purvis scored 2 of the teams 3 runs in the opener. Beth Haas pitched a good game as she tried to hold off the mountain hawks, who were looking to clinch the league title. The game is tied at 3, bottom of the 7th (games are only 7 innings) bases loaded, 2 outs, the classic scenerio...Lehigh draws a walk and takes the win.... Game two, Purvis continued to be a powerhouse at the plate, she would go 4 for 5 on the day. This time it was a 4 run third inning that cost the Red Raiders. Colgate drops game 1 4-3, game two is ended after 5 innings with Colgate downed 10-2.
April 28th- Holy Cross
Patriot League tournament at Patriot's Park
Colgate kicked off the post season with a good showing against the Crusaders. Colgate got off to an early lead in the first, but Holy Cross capitalized on a Red Raider mistake to score 2 in the bottom of the inning. Colgate tied it up, Holy Cross pulled ahead again in the 6th. In the last inning Colgate had one run in and the bases loaded with two outs, and we grounded right to the pitcher, game over. Colgate losses right off the bat, 4-3.
April 29th- Bucknell
PL tournament, losers bracket game 1
Fortunatly, the name of the game is double elimination. You gotta give coach Sax credit for having the guts to call two sacrifice bunts when we were down 1 in the second. Instead of taking runner on first, no outs, she went for runner on third two outs. It ended up working, Colgate would eventually score 3 in the inning. 2 more runs in the next inning, then 4 more in the inning after that. And for the first time this year in league play, Colgate's on the winning end of the mercy rule! Bucknell goes home for the year, and Colgate hits the 20 win mark. 9-1 Colgate.
April 29th- Holy Cross
PL tournament
We meet again... Colgate kept the game mistake free and benifited. Colgate was up 1-0 going into the 5th. Thats where Colgate put on a hit parade, with the guest of honor, Amanda Paolucci's 3 run dinger. Hass was excellent on the mound. She only allowed 4 hits and no walks. She also struck out three. Holy Cross did score once in the 7th, but Colgate got revenge, 5-1.
April 30th- Lehigh
Patriot League semi-finals
Colgate crawls out of the losers bracket only to meet the regular season champions. Only three hits to work with for the Red Raiders, while Beth Haas was starting her 4th game of the weekend. Colgate's season ends with a 8-0 loss.
Season review
What a weird season. Colgate breaks the 20 game winner mark again, but only goes 3-7 in the league, good for a 5th place finish. Colgate would have more players get named all league then we got wins in the league. The entire Red Raider infield made first team. First baseman Mellisa Rawson, second baseman Amanda Brickell, shortstop Kerry Purvis and third baseman Amanda Paolucci were all voted to the first team. Outfielder Stephanie Scott made the second team as well. I just don't get it really, I could list all the records Colgate players broke this year, maybe the league just got harder, we do have a young team, maybe pressure got to us. We had 5 of the top ten batting averages in the league. We just couldn't put the hits together. Pitching was also a problem at times, but not all the time, an average pitching staff I guess. Maybe intensity again and playing to the level of opponents too often. Next year promises to be better, I know we have some great recruits, plus a lot of great returning players. Here's the records set by some of our top players.
Melissa Rawson- Freshman- First base
Second on the team in batting average, broke a whole bunch of freshman records, such as, hits, runs and doubles. All league first team, player of the week once.
Amanda Brickell- Freshman- Second base
She broke the school freshman record for RBI's. She's also an amazing fielder. All league first team, player of the week once, looks nothing like that picture they have on Colgate's site.
Amanda Paolucci- Sophomore- Third base
Batted almost .400 Broke the season school record in RBI's, doubles, and stolen bases. Broke the Patriot league record for doubles in a season. Now holds Colgate's record for career home runs and stolen bases, shes only a sophomore! Player of the week and first team for the Patriot league.
Kerry Purvis- Senior- Shortstop
Started in every game for four years. Led the team this year in batting average, set Colgate career records for hits and helpers. Second in career runs, third in RBI's, 5th in doubles and triples. Had a 15 game hitting streak this season. All league.
Stephanie Scott- Senior- outfield
Graduates with Colgate's career record for runs scored. Broke teh season record for runs and hits this year. Second team all league.
Lisa Belcher- Senior- catcher
Tied Colgate career record for sacrifice bunts. Great fielder, solid hitter.
Laura Chaussee- Freshman- outfield
Colgate, freshman and league record for sacrifice bunts in a season. Batted almost .400 in league play. Stole 10 bases in 12 attempts. When she played catcher, she threw out 50 percent off all steal attempts.
As you can see, thats 4 underclassmen on this sites honor roll. We have signed two amazing pitchers to join the team next year and a top hitter. Colgate is a team with a lot of talent, just ready to explode. Look out for them next year.
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