Softball Takes on FDU Wednesday in Hackensack

Wednesday, March 2

Hackensack, N.J.

2:00 PM

Columbia University

Fairleigh Dickinson

Photo by: Eric Espada/Columbia Athletics

3/1/2022 3:29:00 PM | Softball

Watch (NEC Front Row)Live Stats

Lions and Knights set for midweek matinee at 2 p.m. ET

NEW YORK — The Columbia softball team plays its first local game of the season on Wednesday, heading across the George Washington Bridge to take on Fairleigh Dickinson. First pitch from FDU Softball Field in Hackensack is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.

Originally scheduled to be a doubleheader, the two teams will now play just one game on Wednesday.

GAME COVERAGE:
Fans can watch the game online courtesy of NEC Front Row. Live stats will be available through FDUKnights.com.

THE BASICS:
Columbia (1-4) competed at the FAU Strike Out Cancer Tournament last weekend, which was the team's first competitive action in nearly two years. The Lions earned their first win of the season on opening day with a, 7-5, extra-inning victory over the host Owls. Columbia also took on No. 12 Kentucky, LIU, Jacksonville and Michigan State, falling in a closely contested pitchers' duel against the Spartans, 1-0.

DEBUTING
Eight Lions made their collegiate debut at last week's tournament -- Raquel Reyes, Jordan Hill, Maddy Rifenberick, Maddie Souza, Jaden Hill, Cami Neal, Lauren Osborne and Caroline Palys. All eight of them started at least once over the weekend as well. Reyes, a pitcher, was named to this week's Ivy League Honor Roll, posting a 4.02 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, which included a one-run, two-hit, complete-game performance against Michigan State.

Ten of the 19 players on Columbia's roster had never played in a collegiate softball game prior to the start of the season. That number accounts for all of the first-years and sophomores on the Lions' roster. The five members of the junior class all have limited playing experience from the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Just four players on this year's roster – Maria Pagane, Lauren Apollaro, Monique Benjamin and Abby Stuart – have at least one entire year of collegiate experience.

HOT START
Third baseman Bubba Gleaves got off to a hot start last weekend, starting all five games and going 5-for-12 at the plate with a double, two runs and three RBI. Gleaves slugged .500 and had an OPS of 1.063 across those games. She was named to the Ivy League Weekly Honor Roll for her efforts.

Four Lions ended the weekend batting over .300. Second baseman Megan Ryono went 4-for-12 with two doubles and three runs scored, outfielder Lauren Apollaro was 3-for-9 with a double and two runs, and first baseman Abby Stuart was 5-for-16 (.313) with a homer, three runs and three RBI.

THE OPPONENT
FDU (2-7) opened the season on Feb. 18 at the North Carolina A&T Aggie Invitational, going 1-4 in five games against NC A&T and George Mason. The Knights' one win came over the Patriots, 12-4, in five innings. Last weekend, they competed at the East Carolina Pirate Invitational, posting a record of 1-3. They fell to Gardner-Webb, 6-5, ECU, 9-1, and Villanova, 3-1, before concluding the weekend with a, 6-5, extra-inning win over East Carolina.

Freshman Andreya Flores leads the team offensively, hitting .458 (11-for-24) with three doubles and five RBI. Jess DeWitt (.333) and Sabrina Javorsky (.300) are also at the .300 mark on the season. DeWitt owns the team's only homer to this point. In the circle, Alayna Savaglio has tossed a team-high 22 2/3 innings so far with a 3.71 ERA. Malori Bell (4.31 ERA) and Payton Wagner (5.25 ERA) have combined for five starts.

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For the latest on the Columbia softball program, follow @CULionsSoftball on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/CULionsSoftball. You can view all the latest with the Lions on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com/Softball.