NEW YORK — Four-hit days from senior Taylor Troutt and sophomore Sommer Grzybek led the Columbia softball team to a pair of lopsided victories over defending Ivy League champion Princeton, 9-1 (6) and 9-0 (5), Saturday afternoon at the Columbia Softball Stadium.

Columbia (19-17, 11-6 Ivy) hit an impressive .370 on the day and put together five runs in the fourth inning of each game to pull away. Grzybek, Troutt and senior Madison Gott all went deep in game one, with Troutt driving in five and Grzybek driving in four between the two games. Troutt extended her on-base streak to 24 consecutive games, which is now the longest active streak in the Ivy League.

"It was incredible out there," Troutt said. "We had a ton of really good energy and everyone was really excited. We know these games are important, but we're just taking it game by game and having a lot of fun."

The Lions also got two quality starts in the circle by the sophomore duo of Madison Canby and Erin Gallo. Canby (10-8) allowed just one run on four hits while striking out three in game one. Gallo (7-4) tossed her second shutout of the season in game two, surrendering just three hits and a walk while striking out four.

The victories keep the Lions in contention for one of the two spots in the Ivy League Championship Series. Harvard (13-4 Ivy) took two games from Dartmouth (9-5 Ivy), which moves Columbia into second place in the standings for the time being. The Big Green still have a one-game lead in the loss column and finish up one week after the Lions.

The final game of the series is set for 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Columbia will honor its five seniors – Madison Gott, Maura Lynch, Nina Mandracchia, Olivia Parker and Taylor Troutt – in a pregame ceremony, beginning at approximately 12:05 p.m.

Game 1 Recap: Columbia 9 - Princeton 1 (F/6)

Princeton struck for an early run in the first, but it would be the only time the Tigers held a lead all day. Columbia answered with a run in the bottom half and hit three home runs on its way to a game-one victory, 9-1 (6).

Columbia scored all nine of its runs on two-out hits. Madison Gott, Sommer Grzybek and Max Ortega each had multi-hit games. Gott homered in her first turn at-bat to quickly answer Princeton's first-inning run as part of a three-RBI game. Grzybek put the game on ice with a solo shot to clinch the victory in six.

The Lions took the lead for good in the second. Ortega doubled to lead it off and Maria Pagane stepped up later in the inning with Lions sitting on second and third. The rookie drove the second pitch of the at-bat to center and past a sliding Kylee Pierce. Pagane dug all the way to third to get credit for a triple and make it a 3-1 game.

Starting pitcher Madison Canby was nearly unhittable the rest of the way, retiring nine of the next 10 Tigers that came to bat after the first inning. The sophomore allowed just two hits across the final five innings to earn her 10th victory of the season.

Columbia blew the game open in the fourth. The first two Lions reached against Princeton starter Allie Reynolds and Gott came to bat with two down and runners at the corners. The senior pulled through once more, doubling to left center to bring home both Amanda Nishihira and Amber Swinarski. After a walk by Grzybek, Troutt crushed her sixth home run of the season to left, driving in three and completing the five-run inning with the Lions on top, 8-1

Princeton went to the pen to begin the fifth for Caroline Taber, who held the Lions off the board for one inning. She wasn't so lucky in the sixth, as Grzybek tattooed a 1-1 pitch to center to walk the Lions off in six.

Game 2 Recap: Columbia 9 - Princeton 0 (F/5)

Columbia picked up right where it left off in game two, scoring a first-inning run before combining for eight more across the third and fourth innings to take game two of the doubleheader in five innings, 9-0.

Starting pitcher Erin Gallo had her pitches working, allowing just three hits and striking out four across five innings to earn the shutout. She retired 15 of the 19 Tigers that came to bat, including each of the last six.

The Columbia offense made her comfortable with another impressive showing. Sommer Grzybek went 2 for 2 with two runs and three RBIs, and Taylor Troutt went 3 for 3 to drive in two. Sophomore Amber Swinarski got the start in left and scored three runs.

Princeton starter Ashley LaGuardia walked two in the first inning and paid the price as Taylor Troutt drove a two-out single through the left side of the infield, scoring Swinarski from second. The Lions got to LaGuardia for three runs in the third. Pagane and Swinarski reached to start the inning before Grzybek drove in the first run on a hard-hit ball through the infield. Troutt kept the merry-go-round in motion with a second consecutive RBI single on a 3-2 pitch. Grzybek later came around to score on a passed ball to increase the lead to 4-0.

A five-run fourth all but put the game away. Amanda Nishihira walked to lead off the inning and scored on a three-base error committed by Princeton third baseman Joey Smith. Olivia Parker, who reached on the error, was brought home on a sac fly by Maria Pagane to make it a 6-0 game. LaGuardia was relieved following a walk to Swinarski.

Columbia kept the inning going as Sommer Grzybek drove a 3-2 pitched off reliever Caroline Taber down the left-field line, driving in Swinarski from second and Gott from first. Two more singles by Taylor Troutt and Max Ortega brought home the fifth run of the inning to increase the advantage to 9-0.

Princeton went to the bullpen one more time in the fourth and Alex Viscusi got her team out of the inning after 11 Lions had come to bat. Gallo put the game away, getting Megan Donahey to strike out for the final out.