Softball Set for Long-Awaited Home Game Wednesday Against Iona

Wednesday, March 23

New York, N.Y.

1:00 PM

Columbia University

Iona

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Softball Set for Long-Awaited Home Game Wednesday Against Iona

3/22/2022 11:45:00 AM | Softball

Watch (ESPN+)Live Stats

Lions and Gaels set for 1 p.m. first pitch in Columbia’s first home game since 2019

NEW YORK — The Columbia softball team (4-13, 2-1 Ivy) will play at home for the first time in almost three years on Wednesday when it hosts the Iona Gaels (5-12, 0-0 MAAC). First pitch from the newly renovated Columbia Softball Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

The game was originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, but was moved up three hours in an effort to get ahead of heavy rain forecasted to impact the New York City area Wednesday afternoon.

GAME COVERAGE:
Wednesday's game will air live on ESPN+. Live stats will be provided through GoColumbiaLions.com.

LAST TIME OUT
Columbia is coming off a series victory last weekend at Penn. The Lions took two-of-three, sweeping a doubleheader on Saturday before falling in the series finale on Sunday. Columbia and Penn were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the 2022 Ivy League Preseason Poll.

Saturday's doubleheader was highlighted by a four-homer performance in game one and a complete-game pitching effort in game two. The Lions rallied from 6-0 down in the opener, answering with seven runs in the top of the third. Junior Bubba Gleaves sparked the comeback with a grand slam for her first collegiate home run. Megan Ryono also hit her first home run later in the inning, a two-run shot, to give the Lions a 7-6 lead. Dani Mandichak made it three collegiate firsts with a two-run blast in the fifth, as the Lions went on to win, 11-8.

Jordan Hill has the highlight in game two. The first-year pitcher out of San Dimas, California went the distance for a complete-game victory, striking out three while allowing just a run on five hits and a walk. Meanwhile, both Abby Stuart and first-year outfielder Maddie Souza went deep. Souza's solo shot in the seventh was her first collegiate home run, capping off a 4-1 victory.

Penn salvaged the final game of the series on Sunday, 5-3. The Quakers scored a run in five of the six innings they came to bat. The Lions had a chance to tie it up or take the lead in their final turn at bat. Abby 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.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jordan Hill was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the first time on Monday. Hill tossed more than half of Columbia's total innings last week, hurling 14 1/3 to the tune of a 2.93 ERA. The highlight of her week was a complete-game victory on Saturday against Penn, going seven strong while allowing just a run on five hits and a walk, striking out three. The rookie out of San Dimas, California limited opposing batters to a .271 average.

1,054 DAYS LATER
Columbia will play its first home game since May 4, 2019 on Wednesday, marking 1,054 days (two years, 10 months and 19 days) since the Lions last competed at the Columbia Softball Stadium. Columbia's last home game was the 2019 regular season finale against Brown. The Lions' 2020 season was canceled before their first home game due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ensuing 2021 season was also canceled by the Ivy League Presidents.

IVY LEAGUE POWERHOUSE
Entering Wednesday's game, Bubba Gleaves and Abby Stuart are each hitting .340 on the season, which ties for fifth in the Ivy League. Gleaves and Stuart also rank Top 5 in the league in hits and runs. Stuart's three home runs are second best, while her 10 RBI rank third.

THE OPPONENT
Iona is looking to end a four-game losing streak after going 0-4 last weekend, dropping two games each to Syracuse and Hofstra at the Hofstra Invitational. Both games against Syracuse were decided by one run in extra innings.

The offense is led by Jamie Sheeran, who is hitting .269 with 14 hits, four doubles and a team-high three home runs and nine RBI. Jessica Chilcott is hitting .231 and also has nine RBI.

The Gaels excel in the circle, boasting a team ERA of 2.90 so for this season. Samantha Rieb leads the bunch at 2.03 despite her 0-2 record. Kara Zazzaro has tossed the majority of the innings, starting nine of her team's 17 games with 62 innings pitched, seven complete games and 85 strikeouts.

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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.