Bison Softball hosted Colgate University this past Sunday for a double header. Colgate managed to win the first game with a score of 10-8, but the Bison were able to come back and win the second game that evening. The Orange and Blue then fell to the Raiders again the following morning.

Savannah Jones ’25 started in the circle for their first game. Colgate scored on a leadoff walk and triple. Jones was able to prevent Colgate from scoring the rest of the inning. Colgate scored again at the top of the third inning. Jones once again was able to close the inning before the Raiders could cause any more damage. 

The Bison put their first points up in their frame of the third inning. Haley Speicher ’26 and Jones singled. Zoie Smith ’24 pulled off a two run double to tie the score. Smith soon made her way to third after a sacrifice bunt from Mackenzie Hilling ’25. Ava Aguilar ’25 was able to bring Smith home with a single of her own.

The Bison continued scoring runs in the fourth inning. Chase Knapp ’23 led with a walk off, followed by Speicher being walked. Jones singled and brought both runners home to push the score to 5-2.

The score remained still until the sixth inning. Colgate started with a strike out that was followed by a double, a walk and another double to score both runners. After another walk, Kaiya Burton ’23 entered the circle. After a couple of errors and a walk, Colgate regained the lead. The score was now 9-5, and Madison Roukey ’25 was put into pitch.

In their frame of the sixth inning, the Bison were able to get a run on the scoreboard. Smith and Noelle Gardon ’24 both walked. Kailyn Lorberter ’23 singled, which brought Smith home before the inning ended. 

In the tenth inning, the Raiders managed to get their tenth run off of two singles and a grounder. Despite their best efforts, the Bison were unable to regain the lead, and the game ended 10-8. 

“The first game of the Colgate series really stung, knowing that we let them back into the game,” Smith said. “However, talking between the games our coaches reassured us that one game doesn’t make or break our team and that we got to every pitcher they had. So as long as we kept on performing and sticking to our plan of hitting, pitching and defense we would be successful.” 

Burton started off the next game strong in the circle. The Bison scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Knapp led with a single and then advanced to second on a passed ball. A sacrifice bunt from Speicher and an RBI from Jones brought in the run. 

Colgate tied the game in the third inning with three straight singles. Hunter Vestal ’24 came into pitch in the fourth inning and was able to keep the Raiders from scoring any runs. The Bison then regained the lead in their frame of the fourth inning, making the score 2-1. Vestal led two more scoreless innings.

In the sixth inning, Smith led with a double and Nicole Lioumis ’26 replaced her as a pinch runner. Gardon walked and Hilling hit an impressive double to score both runners and widen the score gap. To close out the game, Olivia Marinelli ’23 entered the circle and quickly finished the game. 

The Bison won 4-1, marking their first conference win of the year.

The Bison faced the Raiders a third time the next morning. Roukey started the game in the circle. Despite loading the bases with three walks, she was able to stay calm and close the inning without letting up any runs. 

The Bison were the first to score, Annabella Hawkins ’24 was on second and soon advanced to third after a grounder by Speicher. Smith was walked which brought Hawkins home and gave the Bison a 1-0 lead. 

The Raiders tied the score and it remained tied until the top of the fifth inning. The Raiders scored after a walk and a home run, taking a 2-1 lead.

Burton entered the game to pitch and finished the inning before Colgate could score again. In the bottom of the fifth, Hawkins got things going with a walk. Knapp then made her way to first after being hit by a pitch. Smith’s single RBI tied the game. Jones then managed to bring another run in and help the Bison gain a 3-2 lead.

The Raiders took the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Colgate was a strike away from losing the game when they hit an impressive shot to the left field fence. They gained a 5-3 lead. The Bison were unable to score in their frame and the game ended.

“We play the toughest teams right in the beginning of the Patriot League so it’ll be a good test of our ability and a great way to show the work we have put in during preseason,” Smith said. “We’re looking to continue playing good softball and competing at a high level.”

Next, the Bison travel to Lehigh University for a three game matchup.