NEW YORK – The Columbia softball team completed the sweep over visiting Cornell, defeating the Big Red 10-2 in five innings on Sunday afternoon at the Columbia Softball Stadium.

Starter Jordan Hill (8-7) went the distance, and the bats shined, scoring 10 runs on eight hits. Payton Shimansky put on a clinic, going 2-for-2 with two home runs and four RBI. Cami Neal also stayed red-hot, going 3-for-3 this afternoon. For the weekend, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Week went 7-for-8, with five runs scored and four runs batted in. 

Columbia (20-16, 12-6 Ivy) continued their early offensive dominance, scoring the contest's opening runs in the bottom of the first inning for the fourth consecutive game. A one-out single by Neal opened the scoring, sending Sarah Mikami to third and bringing Shimansky home. Mikami then came home on the very next at-bat thanks to a sacrifice fly from Maddie Souza.

From there, Hill took over, pitching 5.0 complete, scattering four hits, two runs, with a walk and a strikeout. After allowing two hits on the day's first two batters, Hill went three straight hitless innings, giving up only two hits for the rest of the game.

Columbia gave Hill more than enough run support, piling it on offensively, scoring runs in every inning.

The Lions built on the early lead by smacking four home runs in four consecutive innings. Shimansky's no-doubt-about-it three-run homer in the second inning brought home Caroline Palys and Olivia Madkins. Palys followed suit in the third, mashing a two-run home run to center field. For the third straight inning, the Lions belted another home run. In her second straight plate appearance, Shimansky went for another round-trip, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Cornell's (16-19, 6-12 Ivy) bats reappeared in the top of the fifth, with Lauren Holt batting in two runs on a double to left field. This would prove to be too little too late for the Big Red, as Columbia would seal the game in the bottom half.

For the fourth consecutive inning, a home run was hit; this time the honors went to Caylene Nguyen, who smashed a solo shot to left field – the first of her career. The four long balls hit by the Lions was a season-high. Madkins was walked on the next at bat, and some deft base running allowed her to reach third on a steal and wild pitch. She would then reach home in walk-off fashion on the very next pitch, due to a Cornell error.

The loss went to Cornell starter Maxine McCraw who went 1.2 innings pitched, allowing three hits and five earned runs, with a walk and a strike out.

UP NEXT
The Lions continue their homestand with an Ivy League showdown as Dartmouth comes to New York for a three-game series, beginning with a Saturday doubleheader. Game one of the series is slated for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch.

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