PRINCETON, N.J. – The Columbia softball team was down to its final out when Caylene Nguyen came up clutch, smashing a ball to left field for a game-winning two run double as the Lions stunned the second seed Harvard, 2-1, on Thursday afternoon at the C.L. Paul Field.

Columbia (24-16) extends its winning streak to nine games, second longest in program history, with the dramatic win. The Lions were in danger of being no-hit when the late inning heroics started.
The late rally began with a one out walk from Cami Neal, it was the third time she reached base – second via a walk. With two outs, Tatum Hubble pinch hit for the Lions and reached the hard way, getting hit by a pitch on her knee. With two runners on Nguyen came to the plate.

After falling behind 0-2, Nguyen worked the count full, fouling off tight pitches. Nicolette Hunter's (11-3) 3-2 offering caught too much of the plate on the inner half and Nguyen turned on it, clubbing a ball over Harvard (26-12) left fielder Audrey Szollosi's head to plate a pair.

Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Lions' starting pitcher Jordan Hill (11-7) closed the door on the Crimson, retiring Harvard in order. Hill was stellar on Thursday afternoon, pitching to contact, she scattered seven base runners en route to her 10th complete game of the year.  

Harvard starter Nicolette Hunter (11-3) was the hard luck loser. She made life difficult on the Columbia hitters, striking out eight over seven innings of work.

It looked as though Harvard's first inning run would be the difference. Szollsi drew a leadoff walk on five pitches to start the rally; she stole second to move into scoring position and scored on a base hit to the gap in left center by Sophie Sun.

UP NEXT
The Lions will take on Brown tomorrow afternoon in game three of the Ivy League Tournament. The fourth-seeded Bears defeated Princeton 4-0 in game one of Thursday's double header.  Due to the expected rain in the area, Friday's contest against the Bears is still to be determined.
 
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