NEW YORK — Jaden Hill and Abby Stuart each went deep and Columbia limited crosstown foe Manhattan College to just one run in defeating the Jaspers, 7-1, Wednesday afternoon at the Columbia Softball Stadium.
 
The victory was a significant moment for the Lions, who won at home for the first time since May of 2019. Columbia didn't get the chance to play at home during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The ensuing 2021 season was canceled for all Ivy League schools due to the pandemic.
 
Columbia (7-15, 4-2 Ivy) jumped ahead on Hill's solo shot in the first and later took command of the game with a four-run fourth. Lauren Osborne, Kat LoVerde and Maria Pagane all had run-scoring hits as part of the inning. Stuart added her Ivy League-leading sixth home run of the season in the fifth and Hill drove in her second run of the game in the sixth.
 
"it was good to see our offense continue where they left off from last weekend against Cornell," eighth-year head coach Jennifer Teague said. "To have a game like that against a reigning conference champion is definitely good sign. It was nice to get some quality offense today and see us respond."
 
Stuart went 3-for-3 with a double, a homer, two runs and an RBI. She also drew a walk to reach base in all four of her plate appearances. Hill was 2-for-4 with a run, an RBI and her team-leading sixth stolen base. Lauren Osborne was 1-for-2, driving in a pair with her double in the fourth. The Lions would ultimately get hits from seven of the nine spots in the batting order. In the circle, starter Kaia McCaul (2-7) picked up her second win of the season. She pitched into the sixth and struck out four while working around six hits and a walk. McCaul worked her way out of trouble all day, stranding the bases loaded in the first, two in scoring position in both the second and third innings, and two more in the fifth. Senior Monique Benjamin came on with one out in the sixth and retired all five batters she faced.
 
"It was great to see Kaia work through some difficult situations," Teague added. "That's what we needed to see from her going into the Harvard weekend. Also, to see Mo contribute was awesome. It's going to be all hands on deck this weekend for sure."
 
On the other side, the Lions chased Manhattan starter Mollie Charest (1-5) as part of their four-run fourth. Charest was ultimately charged with five runs, all earned, on seven hits. She recorded just one strikeout. The Lions also tagged reliever Jessie Rising for two more runs. Ava Metzger recorded the final two outs in relief in the sixth.
 
Columbia will host its first Ivy League series of the season this weekend, welcoming Harvard (9-13, 3-3 Ivy) to the Baker Athletics Complex. The two sides will contest a doubleheader Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. The series finale is set for the same time on Sunday.

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