Columbia
Harvard
Troutt, Gott Lead Lions In Friday's Losses To Harvard
4/8/2016 1:48:00 PM | Softball
G1 Box Score (PDF) | G2 Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF) | Season Stats (HTML) | Ivy League Only Stats (PDF)GAME ONE RECAP: Harvard 8, Columbia 0 (5 inn.)
Columbia looked as if they would get on the board first in the top of the first of game one as Reilly Metzger sent a one-out base hit up the middle, but despite a would-be RBI hit by Troutt, Metzger was called out for leaving early on the play to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
With that momentum built up, Harvard was able to respond in the bottom half of the frame with three runs on four hits, giving the Crimson a 3-0 advantage heading into the second.
After putting two more runs across in the bottom of the second, the Crimson loaded the bases in the third before Maddie Gott could snag a liner, ending the inning to keep it a 5-0 game into the fourth.
Despite a pair of hits by the Lions in the top of the fourth, Harvard was able to post up two more runs in the bottom half of the frame before sealing the 8-0 five-inning victory with a pair of hits and a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth.
Morgan Groom (5-3) earned the win after throwing all five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits while striking out six and walking one. Tessa Kroll (1-11) took the loss after giving up five runs on six hits in only one inning of work while Kayla Maloney pitched 3.1 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out a pair.
Reilly Metzger, Maddie Gott and Taylor Troutt combined for Columbia's three hits of game one after batting 2-3-4 in the lineup.
GAME TWO RECAP: Harvard 4, Columbia 3
The Lions wasted no time in game two as Maddie Gott picked up the first hit of the game with a one-out single into left in the top of the first. With one on and one out, Taylor Troutt was able to send her eighth home run of the season over the right-center fence, scoring Gott to give Columbia the early 2-0 advantage.
With the help of a leadoff single by Maura Lynch and an infield single by Krystin Wong, the Lions were able to put runners on the corners with one out in the top of the fourth, but Savannah Bradley was able to snag a liner at first and step on the bag for the inning-ending double play to keep it a 2-0 ballgame.
Unfortunately the Crimson used that momentum in the bottom half of the frame, posting up three runs on four hits to take back a 3-2 lead heading into the fifth.
The Lions answered back in the next inning, however, as Reilly Metzger worked a leadoff walk to get the Columbia offense rolling. After a fielder's choice and a wild pitch, Taylor Troutt was able to blast a one-out RBI double back up the middle and into the right-center gap past a pair of diving Harvard outfielders to tie the game at 3-3.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the bottom of the frame as the Crimson responded in the bottom of the fifth behind a leadoff triple by Rhianna Rich and a sac fly by Maddy Kaplan to give Harvard a 4-3 lead into the sixth.
Unfortunately the Lions were unable to bounce back from there as the Crimson were able to go on and seal the 4-3 victory.
Sarah Smith (1-2) picked up the win after throwing 2.2 innings of hitless relief for the Crimson, striking out three batters along the way. Tonia Wu (5-6) took the loss after throwing all six innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out a pair.
Maddie Gott and Taylor Troutt each went 2-for-4 while Tonia Wu, Maura Lynch, Jordan Townsend and Krystin Wong each contributed a hit in the game-two loss.
The Lions will return to action on Saturday, April 8, as they travel to New Hampshire to take on Dartmouth in a doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m.
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