HAMILTON, N.Y. - Lafayette scored two runs in the first inning of the series opener and never trailed in a 5-2 victory in Patriot League action on Friday. Megan Coyle and Kaili Reitano each brought home runs in the game's opening inning.
 
Colgate trimmed the Leopards' lead in half in the bottom of the first, scoring on an error, and then tied the game in the fourth inning following a pair of singles.
 
Lafayette put away the game with three runs in the sixth inning. Grace Harvey got things going with a double, and her pinch runner later scored on a Kylee Sweet single. The big blow of the inning came off the bat of Coyle who crushed a 2-2 offering over the fence for the 5-2 lead.
 
Leopard starter Morrigan Gardiner gave up a hit in the sixth and seventh, but left each of those innings unscathed. Gardiner struck out five, allowing one earned run on five hits. Bailey Misken took the loss, surrendering five runs on 10 hits over 6.1 innings.
 
In game two, Lafayette again grabbed an early advantage, but Colgate used a seventh-inning home run for a 3-2 final.
 
Harvey singled home the Leopards' first run in the top of the third and then they added another on a wild pitch.
 
The bottom of the third frame bought home the hosts' first score of the game via Kara Fusco's single.
 
The defense and starter Kailee Sawai held the lead until the fourth when Adrienne Nardone singled home Quinn Livesay. Sawai hit the next batter, but then got a pop up and a strikeout to limit the damage with the game tied at 2-2.
 
The contest remained tied until the bottom of the seventh before Colgate's Rachel Carney hit Sawai's 3-2 pitch over the fence for the 3-2 final.
 
Sawai allowed three runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in the game. Mia Edwards collected the win in relief.
 
The teams will play the rubber match of the series on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.