PHILADELPHIA – Penn used back-to-back homers in the bottom of the first inning to set the tone in a 13-1 win over the Columbia baseball team Friday afternoon. The Lions (18-20, 12-7) still remain in control of clinching an Ivy League Playoff Series berth with one win and two more games against the Quakers (22-17, 10-9) Saturday, May 4. Game one is slated for a 12 p.m. start.
After Matt O'Neill, who was a triple shy of the cycle, led things off with one of his four hits in the game, Eduardo Malinowski and Sean Phelan went deep to give Penn the early 3-0 lead. O'Neill doubled in another run in the second and the Quakers added four runs in the third and led 9-0 after six before the Lions broke up the shutout bid.
In the top of the eighth, Chandler Bengtson reached on an error and moved to second on a passed ball. With two outs, Jack Chernow pulled a single to rightfield to make it an eight-run contest.
However, Penn tacked on four more in the bottom of the frame to complete the scoring.
Columbia did have opportunities to pull closer, however, it stranded 12 men on base.
Jordan Chriss fell to 1-3 after giving up seven earned runs over 3.0 innings. Liam McGill was 2-for-4 and Julian Bury posted a single to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Christian Scafidi pitched seven innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and fanning six. Seven of the nine Quaker positional starters posted multiple hits.
