RIVERDALE, N.Y. -- Columbia had the Jaspers down to their final out in the opening game but Mike McCann lifted a two-run single into right field to tie the game at 1-1 in the seventh. After Columbia stranded the go-ahead run at third with one out, Kyle Murphy homered in the eighth inning to lift Manhattan to a 2-1 win in the opening game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Van Cortlandt Park.

In game two, Alexander Aurrichio's solo home run tied the contest in the fourth but the Jaspers used a pair of two-run home runs to pull away for a 6-2 win in the nightcap.

Game One

The first game was a pitchers duel from the outset as Zach Epstein matched wits with John Saldinger, Manhattan's usual closer. 

Columbia got to Saldinger for a run in the second, when Alex Ferrera lifted a single the other way to score Alexander Aurrichio, who led off with a hustle double.

Working with a 1-0 lead, Epstein tossed four scoreless innings, striking out five Jaspers.  Four of the five went down looking at a called strike three and the sophomore hurler allowed just one walk.

Meanwhile, Saldinger stranded Columbia runners in scoring position in the third and fifth as Eric Williams came on in relief to pitch the fifth for the Lions.

Williams worked around a pair of runners to hold Manhattan scoreless in the fifth, then retired the Jaspers in order in the sixth. 

Derek Squires came on to close out the seventh and allowed a leadoff single.  However, Squires came back to get the next two outs against Manhattan's second and third hitters. 

With pinch-runner Giancarlo Santillo at second base with two outs, Mike McCann lined a single just over the glove of a leaping Alex Godshall and into right field.  Nick Ferraresi's throw from right field was a shade late as Santillo sped around third base to score the tying run.

Squires got the final out, giving Columbia a chance in the eighth.  Godshall led off with a ringing double over the head of center fielder Joe Rock that one hopped the fence.  Godshall moved to third on a groundout to the right side and Jason Banos walked to put runers at the corners.

Nick Crucet came on to pinch run for Banos and took for second on a 1-1 pitch.  With the hit and run on, Dean Forthun popped up on the infield.  Crucet sprinted back to first but second baseman Kyle Murphy's throw to first got there just in time to nab Crucet for the inning-ending double play.

With one out in the eighth, Murphy came up big again with a solo home run over the left field wall, giving Manhattan the walk-off win.

Game Two

With the score tied at 2-2, Manhattan's Joe Rock hit a pair of two-run home runs late in the contest to put the Jaspers ahead to complete the doubleheader sweep.

Columbia struck first for the second straight game, however.  Bobby O'Brien reached on an infield hit and Eric Williams followed by grounding one the other way into left field for a single.

Two batters later, Anthony Potter put a charge into one and drove left fielder Anthony Vega back to the fence to haul in Potter's sacrifice fly.  O'Brien tagged up at third and scored to give the Lions a 1-0 edge.

After hanging up zeroes over the first two innings, Columbia starter Roger Aquino ran into trouble in the third.  Manhattan eventually loaded the bases and Mike McCann's soft liner dropped inside the right field line to score a pair as Manhattan grabbed a 2-1 lead.

Alexander Aurrichio belted his ninth home run of the season to lead off the fourth, tying the game at 2-2.  The Lions hit the ball hard for three loud outs to end the fourth, but Manhattan pitcher Mike Giordano, Mike Gonzalez and Tom Moran combined to retire the final 12 Columbia batters to end the game.

Ricky Kleban came on and got the final out of the third to keep the score at 2-1 but the Jaspers quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth on the first of Rock's two home runs.

Max Lautmann came on to toss a 1-2-3 fifth inning but Rock's second two-run shot in the sixth made it a 6-2 game.

Columbia resumes its Ivy League slate on Saturday, April 24 when the Lions will face Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. for the start of a four-game weekend series.  Saturday's twinbill begins at noon.

NOTES:

- Wednesday's doubleheader began under partly cloudy skies with temperatures hovering in the upper 60s.  The second game ended with rain falling and strong winds sent temperatures plummeting into the 50s.

- Epstein has not allowed an earned run in 11 innings this season.  He also has struck out 16 batters in 11 innings.

- Aurrichio's ninth home run of the season is the most a Columbia batter has hit since Matt Buckmiller and Joe Castan each hit 12 home runs during the 2002 season.