MIAMI — Columbia softball opened the 2019 season on Friday at the FIU Panther Invitational. Both games went down to the final inning but the Lions suffered two walk-off losses, falling, 4-3, to Monmouth and, 5-4, to FIU.
Sophomore Maria Pagane went 4-for-8 at the dish while sophomore Max Ortega went 3-for-7 with three RBIs. Senior Jordan Townsend also collected three RBIs as part of a two-hit day.
Junior pitcher Madison Canby took the loss in game one after going 6.1 strong innings before Monmouth used five straight hits to score three runs in the seventh. Three Lions pitchers saw time in game two, including the collegiate debut for Alexa Pinarski, who earned her first start.
"We have competitors on this team so it's tough to start out your season with two losses," Columbia head coach Jennifer Teague said. "We're not pleased with the results because we know we should have two wins. However, I thought we hit well for our first day. We just have to sure up a few things so we can get the results we want tomorrow."
Columbia gets a rematch with Monmouth Saturday morning at 11 a.m. before taking on Rutgers at 4 p.m.
Game 1 Recap: Monmouth 4 – Columbia 3
The Lions took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh but Monmouth scored three runs on five-straight hits to steal Columbia's season opener, 4-3.
Junior pitcher Madison Canby was in control until the seventh. After Monmouth took the lead on a two-out RBI in the first, Canby allowed just four hits over five straight scoreless innings. She recorded the first out on two pitches in the seventh.
Monmouth's Lindsey Baron started the rally with a double down the left field line. Three straight singles brought in the first run and loaded the bases for Amanda Hopeck, who tied the game by sending a 1-1 pitch to center. Monmouth walked off winners on a Danielle Dominik groundout to first. Yule stepped on the bag and threw home but the winning run slid under the tag by Nishihira.
The Lions collected eight hits against Monmouth starter Alyssa Irons and broke through with two runs in the third. After junior Amber Swinarski worked out an 11-pitch infield single to load the bases, sophomore Max Ortega drove a two-run single back through the middle to give Columbia a 2-1 lead. The Lions had a chance to add to their advantage with two in scoring position but junior Amanda Nishihira's line drive was snagged by third baseman Amber Wozniak.
Columbia took advantage of a two-out error to tack on an insurance run in the sixth. Monmouth shortstop Sam Tomasetti sent an errant throw to first base to put two Lions in scoring position for senior Jordan Townsend. She made them pay by sending a 2-1 pitch back up the middle to increase Columbia's lead to 3-1.
Game 2 Recap: FIU 5 – Columbia 4
Columbia jumped out to a 3-0 lead but couldn't hold off Florida International. The tournament hosts scored four across the middle innings before walking off on a one-out error, 5-4.
Maria Pagane put together her second two-hit game of the day. Ortega and Townsend added to their RBI totals, with Ortega going 2-for-3 with one RBI and Townsend driving in a pair.
The Lions struck for three right out of the gates. Maria Pagane led off the game with a base hit to right center before Max Ortega and Sommer Grzybek followed with two more to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch by FIU starter Megan Kugelmann brought in the first run but the Lions weren't done as Jordan Townsend delivered a two-out, two-run single to center to increase the lead to 3-0.
First-year pitcher Alexa Pinarski got the start in her collegiate debut and went two scoreless innings before the Panthers got to her for two runs in the third. A two-out RBI double followed immediately by an RBI single ended her day after 2.2 innings, allowing five hits.
Junior Erin Gallo relieved Pinarski and got out of the third without any further damage. However, FIU's Jessica Rivera tied the game in the fourth when she drove home Jackie Schoff who tripled with two down. Gallo's control escaped her in the fifth as FIU took the lead on two hit batters and two wild pitches.
Columbia entered the seventh down a run but got the rally going on three straight one-out singles by Alexandra Yule, Genny Soltesz and Maria Pagane to load the bases. After Wetherill went down swinging, Max Ortega fought through a 10-pitch at-bat before singling home the tying run. Soltesz was thrown out attempting to score the go-ahead run, sending the game to the home half of the seventh tied 4-4.
Sophomore Madeline Meier went the final 1.1 and was changed with the tough-luck loss after FIU walked off on a one-out throwing error.
