NEW YORK — The Columbia softball team treated its fans to a pair of victories in Saturday's home opener, defeating Yale in the first two games of a three-game weekend series, 8-2 and 4-1.

Columbia (9-11, 4-1 Ivy) used a three-run third and a three-run sixth, which included home runs by sophomore Amanda Nishihira and first-year Maria Pagane, to cruise to victory in the first game of the afternoon. Yale (4-17, 1-4 Ivy) kept Columbia off the board through the first five innings of game two, but the Lions broke through with four in the sixth to take the lead and sweep the day. Yale left 11 on base and only scored one run despite 11 hits.

The Lions hit a combined .377 on the day, led by three hit-performances from senior Taylor Troutt, senior Madison Gott, sophomore Sommer Grzybek and first-year Max Ortega. Troutt, Grzybek, Pagane and junior Krystin Wong drove in two runs apiece.

"We play so well at home … we can beat any team that steps on our field," said Troutt, who increased her team-leading batting average to .417. "We came out with a good approach and were confident in the first game. We battled hard at the plate in the second game and adjusted just in time."

Columbia's defense also came to play. Troutt played her role by turning a 4-3 double play in game one. Columbia cut down both of Yale's runners on a double-steal attempt in game two and also took two more Bulldog runs off the board thanks to some great relays from the outfield on plays at the plate.

Sophomore Madison Canby (6-4) took both decisions, using a complete-game effort in the opener before tossing a scoreless final two innings of relief in game two.

The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Game 1 Recap: Columbia 8 - Yale 2

Yale took a brief lead with a run in its first turn at bat, but Madison Canby settled in and the potent Columbia offense backed her up with eight runs on 12 hits to win the front end of Saturday's doubleheader, 8-2.

All nine Columbia batters got at least one hit and six Lions drove in at least one run. Shortstop Maria Pagane and first baseman Madison Gott each went 2 for 4, while catcher Amanda Nishihira went 2 for 3. Nishihira led off the sixth with a solo homer, her third of the season, before Pagane tacked on two more with her team-leading fifth long ball on a shot to deep center.  

Yale took an early 1-0 lead on Canby and the Lions when Allison Skinner hit a two-out single to right that scored Francesca Casalino. Columbia cut down Madison Sack trying to go first-to-third on the play to retire the side.

The lead lasted three batters into the bottom half of the inning. Olivia Parker and Maria Pagane both reached base for the reigning Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week, Madison Gott, who tied the game by sending a 3-2 pitch to the wall in center. Troutt singled home Pagane two batters later to put the Lions on top, 2-1.

Canby retired six of the next seven batters and was rewarded with three more Columbia runs in the third. Again, it was Gott who got it started with a leadoff double to right center. Sommer Grzybek drove her home with an RBI single back through the middle to increase the lead to 3-1. The Lions then loaded the bases with two down for left fielder Krystin Wong, who sent a bullet to center that drove in Troutt form third and junior Bonnie Schipper from second. Yale starter Miranda Papes (1-7) lasted 2 2-3 innings, surrendering five earned runs on 10 hits.

Canby stranded two Bulldogs on base in the fourth and used her defense to keep the Bulldogs off the board through the middle innings. Taylor Troutt turned a double play to immediately negate a leadoff baserunner in the sixth.

The lead increased to seven after both Nishihira and Pagane went yard in the bottom of the sixth off Bulldog reliever Francesca Casalino. Yale pushed across a run in the seventh, but Canby went start-to-finish for the victory, allowing just the two runs and working around nine hits while striking out three.

Game 2 Recap: Columbia 4 - Yale 1

Yale starter Terra Jerpbak kept Columbia off the board and surrendered just four hits over the first five innings, but the Lions figured out the lefty in the sixth, scoring four runs to take the lead before winning the back end of the doubleheader, 4-1.

Columbia had just one hit through three innings and struck out five times against Jerpbak. The Lions began to figure it out by putting runners on base in the fourth and fifth before breaking through in the sixth. Sommer Grzybek delivered the first blow, tying the game on a two-out double to right. The two-out rally kept going, as Taylor Troutt singled to score Grzybek, Max Ortega doubled home Troutt and Alexandra Yule singled to bring Ortega across.

The four-run inning chased Jerpbak (3-5) before she could record the final out. She took the loss and was charged with all four runs on eight hits.

Columbia did everything it could on defense to stay within striking distance until it broke through in the sixth. Senior pitcher Maura Lynch relieved sophomore starter Erin Gallo after she walked the bases loaded with nobody out in the very first inning. Lynch worked her magic, inducing two pop ups and a ground out to get out of the inning without allowing a run.

Lynch went on to allow just one run across five innings of work. Yale tagged her for 11 hits, while striking out just once, but the composed senior used her defense to get out of trouble. She stranded two Bulldogs in scoring position in both the third and fifth innings, while leaving the bases loaded in the fourth after Yale had scored a run. The Lions covered Lynch on defense by cutting down both Bulldog runners on a double-steal attempt in the third and throwing out another at the plate off a shot to the wall with two on in the fifth.

Canby entered for Lynch after Yale doubled to lead off the sixth and stranded the inherited runner on third. She retired all six batters she faced to take the victory.