The Bobcats fell to Colby College on April 26, 2015. (File Photo by Josh Kuckens/Bates College)

WATERVILLE, Maine - Kelsey Freedman hit her fourth home run in as many days, but the Bobcats could not shut down the Colby offense, losing 8-2 in a the final game of the NESCAC East series that was postponed from April 10. The win gives Colby the series win and wraps up NESCAC play for both teams. Bates won the first game of the series 2-1 in extra innings on April 11, but dropped the second game, 6-5. 

Bates (10-20, 4-8 NESCAC), who traveled from Waterville to Farmington for a non-conference doubleheader with Maine Farmington following the Colby game, closes NESCAC competition with the best conference record since the 2012 season, when the Bobcats went 5-7. 

Colby pitcher Julia Saul pitched five innings and allowed three hits, all for extra bases. Karen Lockhart (East Greenwich, R.I.) and Kira Shaikh (Manchester, Conn.) had doubles, while Freedman (Falmouth, Maine) add her fourth home run in the past five games. Freedman threw six innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits while striking out six. 

Erica Pulford added two hits, two RBI, and scored a run for the Mules, while Meaghan Lewia added two hits and drove in one run for Colby. 

With the scored tied 1-1, Colby scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take control. Grace Farnkoff opened the inning with a walk and only got to second on two straight outs. Skylar Labbe's first double to left field brought in Farnkoff for a 2-1 margin. Labbe moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Pulford's single to left. After a single by Lewia pushed Pulford to second, Kathleen Mason had a single to right field to score Pulford for a 4-1 lead.

Bates made it 4-2 with a lone run in the top of the fifth inning. Victoria Fitzgerald (Holliston, Mass.) walked with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Emma Schiller (Natick, Mass.). Lockhart's double to center field brought in Fitzgerald with the run.

The Mules added insurance runs with four in the bottom of the fifth. Farnkoff got things going again with a one-out single and Katie McLaughlin followed with another single. Robin Spofford came up to sacrifice and was able to reach base to load them up for Labbe. Her second double of the game on a line drive to left brought in all three runs. Lewia later singled to plate Labbe with the final run.

Bates returns to action for the final games of the season on April 28 when the team hosts a doubleheader against Thomas College at Lafayette Street Field beginning at 3:30 p.m.