NEW YORK – First-year Georgia Corey, junior Maddy Rifenberick, and junior Jaden Hill belted home runs Saturday afternoon as the Lions earned a doubleheader sweep against Cornell.
 
The Lions will go for the sweep Sunday in the series finale. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. The team's four seniors will be recognized before the start of the game at approximately 12:05 p.m.
 
Columbia improves to 15-19 overall this season with the wins Saturday. The Lions are 10-7 in Ivy League play now with four regular season games to go. Columbia sits tied for third with Yale in the Ivy League standings as the battle continues to earn a spot in the 2023 Ivy League Softball Tournament. The League's top four teams will qualify for the event.
 
"Great fight and wins today," Columbia Softball Head Coach Jennifer Teague said. "We are in charge of our own destiny. I was really happy to see their fight and big hits when we needed them. It was a total one through 18 team effort today."
 
GAME 1
 
Cornell got the afternoon started with some early fireworks on a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give the Big Red a 2-0 early advantage.
 
The Lions responded with one run in the bottom of the frame to get on the board. Jaden Hill reached on a bunt. Senior Bubba Gleaves then singled to put Lions on the corners with one out. Sophomore Cami Neal came to the plate next and hit a sac fly to right field that allowed Hill to score from third.
 
Cornell answered back with one run in the top of the second inning to reclaim its two-run lead. That would be the Big Red's last run of the game as the Lions bounced back to win the game.
 
Columbia plated a run in the bottom of the third on another Neal RBI. Senior Megan Ryono hit a leadoff double to right field to start the frame. Ryono scored as Neal grounded out to second base.
 
The Lions tied the game, 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth as one run scored. Sophomore Caroline Palys drew a one-out walk to set up the scoring opportunity. Palys was able to score shortly after on a Maddie Souza RBI single.
 
The teams traded three scoreless innings before Columbia broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning.
 
Gleaves singled up the middle with one out in the bottom of the eighth to get the action started. Neal then reached on a fielder's choice as Gleaves was thrown out at second. Senior Dani Mandichak came in as the pinch runner with Corey due up at the plate.
 
With a 2-2 count, Corey swung and launched a two-run walk-off homer over the center field wall to secure the 5-3 Columbia win in the first game of the series. The home run marked Corey's fourth of the season as she took over as the team leader in homers for the season.
 
Junior right-hander Raquel Reyes (7-6) had an impressive performance in the circle as she fired an 8.0 inning complete game. Reyes allowed just three runs on six hits as she recorded four strikeouts.
 
GAME 2
 
Coming off the walk-off win, the Lions got out to a slow start in the second game of the afternoon. Cornell jumped out to a 3-0 lead as the Big Red plated one run in the second and two runs in the third.
 
The Lions stole the momentum in the bottom of the fourth with a four-spot to take the lead for good. Neal got the frame started with a base hit up the middle. Corey was then walked as first-year Savanna Messner came in as the pinch runner. Fellow first-year Eleni Katsivalis reached on the second Columbia single of the inning to load the bases with no outs.
 
Palys grounded out to the shortstop, but Neal scored for the first run of the second game. With two runners still on base, Rifenberick came to the plate and launched a three-run shot over the left field wall to give the Lions the 4-3 lead. The homer marked Rifenberick's third of the season. She has the third-most home runs on the team this season.
 
Columbia tacked on a run in the fifth and sixth innings to polish off the 6-3 win and earn the doubleheader sweep. Gleaves singled through the left side to get the fifth inning started. She then moved to second as Neal was hit by a pitch. Gleaves was advanced again to third as Katsivalis was also hit by a pitch. A palys sac fly to right field scored Gleaves.
 
Jaden Hill closed out the game with a solo home run to right field to mark her fourth of the season. Hill and Corey are tied for the most home runs on the team with four each.
 
The pitching showed up in a big way for the Lions for the second time Saturday as right-hander Jordan Hill (6-10) fired a 7.0 inning complete game. She allowed three runs on five hits as she totaled four strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
 
Columbia and Cornell will meet for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch Sunday to wrap up the series. Join the team in recognizing its four seniors: Bubba Gleaves, Kat LoVerde, Dani Mandichak, and Megan Ryono before Sunday's game at approximately 12:05 p.m.
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
 
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