NEW YORK – The Columbia softball team fell to Harvard in both games of Saturday's doubleheader at the Columbia Softball Stadium. Columbia falls to 12-17 overall and 7-4 in conference play as the Lions suffer their first Ivy League series loss of the season.
 
The Harvard bats were hot Saturday as the Crimson cruised to an 11-0 run-rule win in five innings over Columbia in the first game Saturday. Harvard looked to close out a second run-rule victory in the second game before Columbia used a seven-run fifth inning to force the game to play out. Harvard held on to take the 10-7 victory to clinch the series win.
 
Columbia struggled at the plate in the first game, but found some footing in the second game to get the bats going. Jaden Hill led the team with three hits Saturday, including two base hits and a double. Hill hit a base hit up the middle in the bottom of the first inning of the second game to secure her 100^th career hit as a Lion. She went on to finish the second game with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate.
 
The Lions exploded for three home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning in the second game to trim a nine-run Harvard lead down to just two runs. Cami Neal kicked things off with a grand slam that scored Savanna Messner, Caroline Palys and Tatum Hubble. Eleni Katsivalis then made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot to left center. Maddie Souza capped off the frame with a two-run shot that scored Liv Madkins.
 
Raquel Reyes (5-8) was charged with the loss in the first game as she tossed 2.2 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. Sarah Mikami (5-6) suffered the loss in the second game as she gave up nine runs on 10 hits in 3.1 innings of work.
 
ON DECK
Columbia looks to avoid the sweep and salvage a win in the series finale Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m.
 
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