PHILADELPHIA — The Columbia softball team fell to Penn, 5-3, in the series finale between the two teams on Sunday at Penn Park.
 
Columbia (4-13, 2-1 Ivy) will go home with the series victory against the team picked right behind them in the preseason poll. The Lions won the first two games, 11-8 and 4-1, on Saturday.
 
The Quakers (5-15, 1-2 Ivy) scored in five of the six innings they came to bat. Columbia limited them to just a run each time, but it was enough in the end to salvage the final game of the series. Sarah Schneider led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer in the sixth, which accounted for her team's final run of the game.
 
The Lions had a chance to tie it up or take the lead in their final turn at bat. Jaden Hill and Bubba Gleaves led off the inning with walks, setting the table for an RBI single off the bat of Abby Stuart to make it a two-run game. Stuart's hit put the tying run on base with nobody out, but Penn's Julia Longo retired the last three batters to shut the door and earn the save.
 
Stuart went 2-for-2 with two walks to reach base in all four plate appearances. She drove in all three Columbia runs, which included a two-run home run in the fifth. Jaden Hill, Bubba Gleaves, Megan Ryono and Jordan Hill collected the Lions' other four this on the day.
 
Kaia McCaul started in the circle and lasted two innings, allowing one run in both the first and second frames. Jordan Hill went the last four innings, surrendering three runs on six hits while striking out three.
 
Columbia returns to New York to prepare for its first home game since 2019 when it hosts Iona on Wednesday. First pitch from the Columbia Softball Stadium is slated for 4 p.m. ET.

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.