Softball wins first Ivy series against Penn, drops midweek matchup to Iona

Upper West Side NY

25 March, 2022

5:05 PM

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Columbia Daily Spectator BY MATTHEW ROWELL MARCH 24, 2022 In its first conference matchup of the season, Lions softball traveled to Philadelphia to take on Penn before its home opener, a midweek non-conference matchup against Iona College. The Ivy opener was a series to watch after Columbia (4-14, 2-1 Ivy) was named the preseason favorite to win the Ancient Eight, with Penn following in a close second. The Lions opened play with a double header on Saturday, taking the series with two impressive wins against a possible postseason opponent. In game one, the Quakers (5-15, 1-2 Ivy) ended the second inning with a six-run frame. Five runs came from two home runs, and a double pushed another unearned run across, creating an early deficit for the Light Blue to overcome. In the top of the third, the Lions immediately responded with seven runs, collecting seven hits to quickly turn the momentum of the game. Columbia jumped on the board after a walk and three consecutive singles, and the squad started to hit for power after junior third baseman Bubba Gleaves smashed a pitch over the left field wall for her first home run of the season. Junior designated hitter Megan Ryono later added to the inning with her own two-run homer to take the lead at 7-6. After Penn tied the game in the fourth, Columbia continued to go yard when junior catcher Dani Mandichak blasted another two-run homer to center field to retake a 9-7 lead. In the top of the seventh, fifth-year senior shortstop Maria Pagane added some insurance to the score with a two-run double to take the Lions' total run count to 11 before ending the inning. In comeback fashion, Columbia took game one 11-8. In game two, the Lions quickly carried the momentum into the next competition by pressuring a run across after an infield error from the Quakers. With a two-run lead in the fifth, senior first baseman Abby Stuart added to the weekend's home run count with a shot over the center field wall to extend the lead to 3-0, and first-year center fielder Maddie Souza piled on with another solo shot in the top of the seventh. In the circle, first-year pitcher Jordan Hill dominated the Quaker offense, pitching a complete game while allowing just one run on five hits. Her performance was enough to earn Ivy League Rookie of the Week and secure the 4-1 win. On Sunday, Columbia was unable to carry its momentum from the first two games of the series into the third. After loading the bases in the first inning, the Quakers scored their first run after a hit by pitch RBI and added one more in each of the next two innings from a sacrifice flyout and an RBI single. In the fifth inning, Stuart hit her second home run of the weekend to score two, bringing the Quakers' lead to 3-2. Facing a 5-2 deficit in the seventh inning, she batted in Columbia's final run, which was not enough to catch Penn who scored in all but one inning they came up to bat. Stuart went 2-2 and drew two walks in four plate appearances and drove in all three runs scored for the Light Blue, but the Lions dropped the series finale 5-3 On Wednesday, Iona College (6-12) visited Columbia Softball Stadium for Columbia's first home matchup of the season, where the Lions dug a hole for themselves with errors. Columbia struck first with its only score of the day in the fourth inning on an RBI single, after a sacrifice bunt placed two runners in scoring position. In the top of the next frame, the Gaels tied the game after an errant throw from sophomore pitcher Raquel Reyes. She retired the next three batters to escape the inning without any more runs. After a pitching change to put Hill in the circle, the Gaels got two free bases from a hit batter and a walk. With one out needed to end the threat, an error off the glove of Gleaves allowed a second unearned run to score the go-ahead for Iona. The Lions dropped their home opener to Iona 2-1. Ivy League play will continue Friday, March 25. The Lions will travel to Ithaca, New York to take on Cornell University. First pitch is at 1 p.m. Staff Writer Matthew Rowell can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @matthewrowell01. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.