NEW YORK —  Amanda Nishihira went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs, including the go-ahead two-run single in the sixth, as Columbia softball started the Ivy League season with a win over Dartmouth, 5-4, Saturday afternoon at the Columbia Softball Stadium.
Columbia (8-10, 1-0 Ivy) starts the league season with a win for the fourth consecutive year and played its sixth consecutive one-run game against the Big Green. Dartmouth (3-15, 0-1 Ivy) took two in last year's series in Hanover with every game decided by a single run. The Lions swept a pair of one-run games two years ago in New York.
"Obviously, it's always good to get the first win of the Ivy League season," Columbia head coach Jennifer Teague said. "Today's game was pretty indicative of how our season has been – we show a lot of fight and make adjustments. We had some really good pitching by Madison Canby today and we continue to talk about respecting all of our opponents but fearing none. We are expecting two battles again tomorrow and I think we are ready. Today was fun."
Madison Canby (5-4) battled through Dartmouth's lineup all day, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out six in a complete-game victory. The junior surrendered a three-run homer in the fourth that put Dartmouth ahead, 4-1, but was lights out from there. She retired 10 of the final 11 batters she faced and didn't allow a single hit over the final 3.1 innings. Canby tossed 120 pitches to finish off her sixth complete game of the season.
Columbia took a first-inning lead when Max Ortega drove in her 13th run of the season on a single to left center. The hit scored sophomore classmate Maria Pagane from second, who singled to lead things off.
Dartmouth answered in the second when Micah Schroder hit a 2-0 triple down the right field line and was driven in three pitches later by Morgan Martinelli. Canby did well to strike out Taylor Ward and Tessa Grossman to strand the go-ahead run at second.
Grossman would get her revenge in the fourth. Schroder doubled to start things off and Ward was hit by a pitch with two outs to bring Grossman to the dish. Canby got ahead 0-1 but Grossman powered a two-out, three-run home run to left center that put the Big Green ahead for the first time.
The Lions got one of those runs back immediately courtesy of Nishihira. The junior catcher tagged Madie Augusto for a two-out solo shot to left, slicing the margin to 4-2. Augusto went on to take the loss (2-6), striking out nine across 5.1 innings but allowing five runs on seven hits.
Ortega started off the big sixth inning with a single on the very first pitch before first-year Abby Stuart walked to put two on with nobody out. One batter later, senior Jordan Townsend hit a laser off the left-center field fence, plating Ortega from second and putting two in scoring position. Dartmouth went to the bullpen for Shelby Wilkison but the first batter she faced was Nishihira, who singled over the head of the shortstop and into left to put the Lions back on top.
Canby locked down the victory with two more strikeouts in a perfect seventh.
Columbia and Dartmouth play games two and three of the series on Sunday. First pitch from the Columbia Softball Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m.
