Columbia
Cornell
Baseball Comes Back to Top Cornell, 4-3, in Game One
4/18/2015 2:26:00 PM | Baseball
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NEW YORK – Senior Joey Falcone's two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth was the difference in Columbia's 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Cornell in game one of a twinbill Saturday afternoon. The comeback win moves the Lions to 20-12 overall and 11-2 in Ivy League play.
Trailing 4-3, Robb Paller set the table with a sharp line drive to a diving Kevin Tatum at third base. Tatum made a great play to knock the ball down, but his throw was off-line to put Paller on first. Falcone followed with an opposite-field blast, his sixth of the year, which proved to be the game-winning knock.
Harrisen Egly came on to record the final three outs for his fifth save of the year to tie the program's single-season record.
George Thanpoulos evened his record to 3-3. He threw six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits to go with five strikeouts.
Cornell (9-21, 6-7) strung together two hits to start the second, but Thanopoulos got a big fly out to prevent the runners from advancing. With a full count and the runners in motion, Thanopoulous fanned Matt Hall for the second out, but David Vandercook was late to cover the bag and the throw to third sailed into the outfield to bring in the first run of the day.
The Big Red struck again in the third, using an RBI triple by JD Whetsel to extend the lead to 2-0.
Nick Maguire blasted his sixth homer of the year with a towering shot to rightfield, cutting the deficit in half in the bottom of the third.
The Lions evened the score in the bottom of the fifth after Lane Robinette drew a two-out walk. Will Savage dropped down a bunt back to Cornell pitcher Brian McAfee, who threw the ball into the corner of rightfield to allow Robinette to come around and make it 2-2.
In the sixth, Cornell caught some breaks with a base hit off the foot of Thanopoulos and added another single to put runners on first and second with one out. Ryan Karl hit a chopper to Maguire at first that took a funny hop to give the Big Red a short-lived 3-2 advantage.
Gus Craig went 2-for-3 from the plate.
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