KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Every Columbia softball starter had at least one hit against Bucknell on Tuesday, as the Lions pounded out a season-best 13 hits in a 6-1 victory over the Bison at the Rebel Spring Games. Senior Karen Tulig registered her first three-hit game of the season, including an RBI single in the first that gave Columbia the lead.
In the second game of the day, a two-run home run by Siena's Shannon Jones in the first inning proved to be the difference in a 2-1 loss.
Bucknell Recap
Three straight singles by first-year Morgan Cook, senior Anne Marie Skylis and Tulig produced the first run of the game in the first inning against Bucknell. Columbia scored a single run in each of the first three innings to take control of the contest.
In the second, first-year Emily Snodgrass reached first on a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Jennifer Bergeron stepped to the plate and legged out an infield single to second base to give the Lions a 2-0 cushion.
Senior Stephanie Yagi accounted for the run in the third all by herself, as she drilled a home run over the right-center field fence with two down to push Columbia ahead, 3-0.
The Bison would cut into the Lion lead in the bottom of the fourth, as Jessie Snyder came through with an RBI single to make the score 3-1. With runners on first and third with only one out, first-year Prophet Gaspard got out of the jam with a groundout and a strikeout to keep the lead at two runs.
Cook began a scoring rally in the fifth with a one-out single and was driven home by Tulig's two-base hit to help Columbia regain a three-run advantage. A pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh gave the Lions their final margin of victory.
Gaspard allowed just three hits while striking out five to collect her second victory of the season. Bridget Gates suffered the loss for Bucknell.
Siena Recap
The Saints opened the scoring in the first inning, as Jones blasted the first pitch she saw over the right-center field fence to give Siena a 2-0 lead.
Columbia threatened to storm back in the bottom half of the first, as Bergeron led off with a single to right on an 0-2 pitch. Two batters later, Skylis showed bunt, pulled back and laced a single through the left side to give the Lions a pair of runners on with one out.
Tulig stepped to the plate and ripped a hard ground ball right at the Siena third baseman, who stepped on third base and threw to first for the double play to end the inning.
From there, both pitchers were in control and held the offenses at bay. Senior Maggie Johnson allowed just two hits over the remaining six innings, while Saints starter Jessika Jo Sandrini retired 10 straight Lions.
In the fifth, Yagi broke the string of consecutive outs with a double to left center. Johnson sacrificed her over to third, and two batters later Snodgrass came through with a two-out RBI single to left to halve Columbia's deficit to 2-1.
The top of the sixth saw some sparkling defense prevent Siena from extending its lead. A two-out double by Courtney Brinkman put a runner in scoring position for the Saints, and Kayla Kaminsky followed with a single through the left side.
Brinkman rounded third and headed home, but a perfect throw from sophomore Christie Taylor in left field gunned down the runner at the plate to end the inning.
With momentum on its side, Columbia opened the bottom of the sixth with a double from Bergeron. But the Lions could advance her no further than second base, and would not get another runner in scoring position the rest of the way.
Columbia will close out play at the Rebel Spring Games on Wednesday, March 15 against Army and Youngstown State, beginning at 3 p.m.
