NEW YORK — The Columbia softball team's 2022 season came to an end on Sunday with a, 6-1, loss to Princeton at the Columbia Softball Stadium.
 
Columbia ends its season with an overall record of 12-26, along with an 8-13 mark in Ivy League play. Though the Lions had higher expectations entering the year, this marks the fourth consecutive season head coach Jennifer Teague led Columbia to at least eight Ivy wins. Prior to her takeover of the program in 2015, Columbia softball had only won eight Ivy games three times in its first 14 league seasons.
 
"We can all say this season didn't go as we would have wanted, but this team never stopped competing and never stopped playing for one another," said Teague after Sunday's game. "I want to congratulate our seniors, who had to endure a shortened 2020 season and having lost the 2021 season due to the pandemic. Their passion for the game and their passion for Columbia softball never wavered. I always challenge our incoming players to leave the program a better place than where they found it, and these three definitely accomplished that."
 
The departing class of senior Abby Stuart, senior Lauren Apollaro and fifth-year graduate Maria Pagane were all honored prior to the start of the game. All three were members of the 2019 team that posted a program-record 15-6 Ivy League record and reached the Ivy League Playoff Series for the first time.
 
Pagane had her moment in the third. With the Lions trailing, 1-0, she stepped up with Jaden Hill on first and two down, blasting a 1-0 pitch high and deep down the left field line. It got over the head of Serena Starks and bounced into the corner, allowing Hill to score all the way from first to tie up the game.
 
The Tigers (25-14-2, 17-4 Ivy) changed pitchers to start the fourth, sending in Alexis Laudenslager (8-2), who went on to get the win after tossing four shutout innings and striking out nine. Her team reclaimed the lead with the help of an error in the fifth, before tacking on two more in the sixth and posting its final tally off a Lauren Sablone home run in the seventh. With the win, the Tigers clinched the Ivy League Championship outright, as well as home field advantage in the upcoming Ivy League Playoff Series.
 
First year Jordan Hill went the opening 5 2/3 innings for the Lions, surrendering five runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks. Sophomore Raquel Reyes got the final four outs, allowing a run on two hits while striking out one.

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.