NEW YORK – Senior Chandler Bengtson hit his second grand slam in as many games in the bottom of the first to give the Columbia baseball team an early advantage as the Lions took down Manhattan, 7-2, Wednesday afternoon. Columbia improved to 6-11 on the year, while the Jaspers dropped to 7-16.

After starting pitcher Saajan May stranded a pair in the top of the first, the Lions went to work in their first turn at-bats. Julian Bury started things off with a ground rule double and two walks set the stage for Bengtson, who took a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right for his 23^rd career homer, and second of the season.

Manhattan cut the deficit in half after two singles and a walk loaded the bases. With one out, Jake Knop broke up the shutout with a single to centerfield. Sam Franco drew a walk to force in another run, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

In the fifth, Ben Porter drove in Liam McGill with a base hit to left to tack on an insurance run. Columbia plated two more runs in the sixth when Jack Chernow tripled and Bury reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Matt Cerfolio hit a roller and with Chernow breaking home, Manhattan's third baseman's off-balance throw to first was wide, keeping everyone safe and Bury to go to third with no outs. The next batter grounded into a double play, but Bury scored on the sequence to make it 7-2.

Ian Burns, Sean Higgins and Dan Harrington teamed up to work three scoreless frames to close things out.

May picked up his first collegiate win, throwing three scoreless innings and two strikeouts. It was predetermined that the Lions would be using multiple pitchers, therefore he qualified for the decision without lasting five frames. Burns struck out three and allowed just one hit in his 2.2 innings of relief.

Porter and Bury each finished with two hits for the Columbia offense.

Manhattan's Jacob Knight allowed the four runs on the Bengtson grand slam and dropped to 0-1.

The Lions open up a three-game series with a twinbill against Dartmouth on Saturday, March 30 at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium. Game one is slated to begin at 11:30 a.m. Fans can catch all the action on ESPN+.