
Softball Splits With Penn to Open Series
4/24/2026 6:46:00 PM | Softball
Lions take opener, move one game closer to clinching postseason berth
PHILADELPHIA – The Columbia softball team moved one game closer to clinching its spot in the Ivy League Tournament with a win in the series opener against Penn. The Lions took game one of the series 6-3 before falling 4-1 to the Quakers in the nightcap at Penn Park on Friday afternoon.
Columbia (18-19, 10-7 Ivy) finished the afternoon with seven runs on 12 hits. The Lions continue to hit for power, finishing the day with six extra base hits. Sarah Mikami continues to pace the Lions; she finished the day going 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs driven in. She reached safely in both games, extending her streak of reaching safely to a team-high 19 games.
Caylene Nguyen went 3-for-7 with a double and a home run. She also pitched 2.2 scoreless in the nightcap.
The Lions entered the series needing two games to clinch a spot in the upcoming Ivy League Tournament. With a win in game one, Columbia is just one win shy of joining Princeton in the postseason.
GAME ONE RECAP
In the opener, the Lions came back from an early deficit thanks to a four-run sixth inning.
Penn (17-23, 8-9 Ivy) jumped out to an early 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the first, the Quakers loaded the bags as Mads Lawson (12-6) struggled with her command, an error and a walk allowed the Quakers to score the contest's opening run.
In the third, the Lions tied the game up with a solo home run from Nguyen. With two outs, Nguyen jumped all over a first-pitch offering for her fourth home run of the season.
In the home half, an RBI double from Jade Montgomery and a Columbia error allowed the Quakers to jump out to a 3-1 lead. That was all the runs Penn could muster against Lawson, who buckled down over the final four innings.
In the top of the fifth, Columbia's offense came to life. The Lions scored four runs, three on a 3-run double from Mikami that gave the Lions the lead for good.
Lawson finished it for her 16th complete game of the season, which ranks 11th most in Columbia single-season history. She scattered nine hits, three runs, two earned, with a walk and five strikeouts.
Kyra Mason, Alicia Marzouca, and Tatum Hubble all collected hits for the Lions. Mason went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a double.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Lions and Quakers traded scoreless frames until Penn broke it up with four runs in the fourth.
Back-to-back home runs from Delaney Smith and Montgomery ended the day for Lily McCord (2-8), who pitched three strong before running into trouble in the fateful fourth.
Ngugen entered the game for the Lions and held the Quakers in check for the remainder of the contest.
Trailing 4-0 in the seventh, Columbia got on the board when Juju O'Brien slapped a triple the other way. She scored on the ground out to third from Marzouca.
Penn starter, Sienna Acosta (3-4), ended the threat, getting Hubble to pop out in foul territory.
The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Softball by following the Lions on X (@CULionsSoftball), Instagram (@culionssoftball) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaSoftball).
Columbia (18-19, 10-7 Ivy) finished the afternoon with seven runs on 12 hits. The Lions continue to hit for power, finishing the day with six extra base hits. Sarah Mikami continues to pace the Lions; she finished the day going 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs driven in. She reached safely in both games, extending her streak of reaching safely to a team-high 19 games.
Caylene Nguyen went 3-for-7 with a double and a home run. She also pitched 2.2 scoreless in the nightcap.
The Lions entered the series needing two games to clinch a spot in the upcoming Ivy League Tournament. With a win in game one, Columbia is just one win shy of joining Princeton in the postseason.
GAME ONE RECAP
In the opener, the Lions came back from an early deficit thanks to a four-run sixth inning.
Penn (17-23, 8-9 Ivy) jumped out to an early 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the first, the Quakers loaded the bags as Mads Lawson (12-6) struggled with her command, an error and a walk allowed the Quakers to score the contest's opening run.
In the third, the Lions tied the game up with a solo home run from Nguyen. With two outs, Nguyen jumped all over a first-pitch offering for her fourth home run of the season.
In the home half, an RBI double from Jade Montgomery and a Columbia error allowed the Quakers to jump out to a 3-1 lead. That was all the runs Penn could muster against Lawson, who buckled down over the final four innings.
In the top of the fifth, Columbia's offense came to life. The Lions scored four runs, three on a 3-run double from Mikami that gave the Lions the lead for good.
Lawson finished it for her 16th complete game of the season, which ranks 11th most in Columbia single-season history. She scattered nine hits, three runs, two earned, with a walk and five strikeouts.
Kyra Mason, Alicia Marzouca, and Tatum Hubble all collected hits for the Lions. Mason went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a double.
GAME TWO RECAP
The Lions and Quakers traded scoreless frames until Penn broke it up with four runs in the fourth.
Back-to-back home runs from Delaney Smith and Montgomery ended the day for Lily McCord (2-8), who pitched three strong before running into trouble in the fateful fourth.
Ngugen entered the game for the Lions and held the Quakers in check for the remainder of the contest.
Trailing 4-0 in the seventh, Columbia got on the board when Juju O'Brien slapped a triple the other way. She scored on the ground out to third from Marzouca.
Penn starter, Sienna Acosta (3-4), ended the threat, getting Hubble to pop out in foul territory.
The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Softball by following the Lions on X (@CULionsSoftball), Instagram (@culionssoftball) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaSoftball).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lawson, Mads (12-6)
L: Zybura, Kelly (6-7)

Batting:
2B: Nguyen, Caylene 1 ; Mikami, Sarah 1 ; Mason, Kyra 1
HR: Nguyen, Caylene 1
RBI: Nguyen, Caylene 2 ; Mikami, Sarah 3 ; O'Brien, Juju 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Katsivalis, Eleni 1 ; Nguyen, Caylene 2 ; Messner, Savanna 1 ; Mason, Kyra 2
SB: Mikami, Sarah 1

Batting:
2B: Youngren, Alexis 1 ; Montgomery, Jade 1
RBI: Montgomery, Jade 1 ; Heisler, Peyton 1 ; Huang, Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Youngren, Alexis 2 ; Smith, Delaney 1
SB: Montgomery, Jade 1 ; Heisler, Peyton 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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