Game Two Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Lions defeated Cornell 7-3 in the first game, but the Big Red came back to win the nightcap 10-6 to split the doubleheader.

In the first game, Cornell went ahead 2-0 in the first inning on two hits and the Lions made it a 2-1 game in the top of the third. Sophomore Dan Neczypor singled to start the inning and senior Marc Gold moved him over to second on a bunt. Senior Michael DeFazio singled up the middle, scoring Neczypor and cutting the Big Red lead by one.

Cornell scored another run in the third, but the Lions responded in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to take a 5-3 lead. Junior Craig Rodwogin singled to lead off the inning and Neczypor followed with a single of his own, putting runners at first and third. First-year Ron Williams tripled to centerfield, scoring the two runners and then scored himself on an error by the Big Red shortstop. With two outs, sophomore Noah Cooper hit a homerun over the right field fence to give the Lions the two-run advantage.

Columbia scored its final two runs in the sixth inning as sophomore Henry Perkins led off the inning with a walk. He then stole second and then moved over to third on a single from Rodwogin. With one out, Williams hit Perkins home on a sacrifice fly to centerfield and Gold singled in the next at bat to send Rodwogin to the plate for the final run of the game.

Junior Andrew Walther earned the win for the Lions, pitching six innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out three batters. Williams finished the game with three RBI on two hits while Neczypor went 3-for-4 at the plate.

In the second game, the Lions took an early lead in the first inning as Perkins led off with a double down the right field line. He moved over to third on a balk and then Williams singled to right field to bring him home. Columbia went up 2-0 in the third inning, scoring another run as Perkins homered to left field.

The Lions went up 4-0 in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs on four hits and two Cornell errors. With one out, first-year Mike Roberts singled to right field and moved over to second on a single from junior Thomas Stevens. Cooper then singled to the shortstop and then the Cornell pitcher made a throwing error, allowing Stevens to go to third and Roberts to score. With two outs, Perkins scored Cooper on a single to end the scoring for the inning.

The Big Red got on the board in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on three hits. The Lions scored two more runs of their own in the fifth as Williams doubled his way on with one out to start out the inning. Sophomore Mike Malfettone singled to left field to score Williams and then went to third on another error by Cornell and finally scored on a wild pitch

The Big Red took the game in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings, scoring eight total runs to win the game 10-6. In the fifth, Cornell manufactured three runs off three hits and then, in the seventh, scored two runs off another three hits. With two outs in the eighth inning, the Big Red capitalized on two walks and had two hits to score three more runs.

Sophomore Bill Purdy was given the loss, pitching six and two thirds innings, allowing 10 hits and seven runs (six earned) while striking out two batters. Perkins finished the game going 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI, a homerun, a double and a stolen base.

The two teams will square-off again tomorrow, Monday, April 24 in a doubleheader that was postponed from Saturday. The games will begin at noon in Ithaca, N.Y.