April 1, 2006
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Columbia lost the first game 6-4 and won the second 9-7 to split with Yale in the second weekend of Ivy play. Senior Andrew Hooker had five hits and two RBI on the day.
In the second game, Yale started out with a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Justin Ankney homered to put the Bulldogs on the board. This didn't deter the Lions as they put up four runs in the bottom half of the inning on five hits.
Sophomore Henry Perkins reached first on a field error by the Yale third baseman and with two outs and Perkins on third, first-year Ron Williams hit a triple to right field, scoring Perkins. Williams crossed the plate on a double down the right field line by senior Michael DeFazio and after senior Noah Cooper singled his way on with a bunt, first-year Spencer Silverstein hit DeFazio home on a single up the middle. Hooker sent Cooper to the plate on a double to left field to end the scoring for the inning and to put the Lions ahead 4-1.
Yale scored one run in both the second and third innings to make the score 4-3, but the Lions put up another run in the bottom of the fourth as Silverstein led off the inning with a home run over the right centerfield fence to take a two-run lead.
Columbia didn't stop there as the Lions put up another four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 9-3 lead. With one out, Williams doubled to right field and then Neczypor traded places, doubling to left field to score Williams. Following the trend, Cooper also hit a double to score Neczypor and then Silverstein hit a single to score Cooper. After Silverstein stole third, Hooker sent him to the plate with a single to right field to score the fourth run of the inning.
Yale didn't back down, however, and scored runs in the next three innings to try and pull off the comeback, but fell short, losing 9-7. First-year Brett Beller tossed the win for the Lions, pitching six innings allowing six hits and five runs (four earned). Junior Andrew Walther recorded the save for Columbia, pitching the remaining three innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs.
Silverstein led the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a homerun, two singles and three RBI. Both Hooker and Williams finished the game with two hits and two RBI.
In the first game, the Bulldogs got on the board in the second inning, scoring one run off of three hits. Yale attacked again in the fifth inning, scoring two more runs off of two hits to take a 3-0 lead.
The Lions took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, combining five hits for four runs. First-year Mike Roberts led off the inning with a single to left centerfield. With one out, Hooker singled his way on with a bunt, advancing Roberts to second. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch and both runners crossed the plate on a single by Perkins. With two outs, sophomore Neczypor singled to right field, sending Perkins home and after junior Andrew Ward walked, Neczypor scored the final run of the inning on a single by DeFazio.
Yale took the lead back in the top of the sixth inning 5-4, scoring two run off of two hits with help from two Columbia errors. The Bulldogs were able to get another run in the top of the seventh on a home run to seal the win, 6-4.
Sophomore Bill Purdy (1-4) was handed the loss, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 13 hits and six runs (four earned) while striking out three Yale batters.
Hooker finished the game going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and Neczypor, Ward and DeFazio all had two hits each for the Lions.
Columbia faces Brown tomorrow, Sunday, April 2 at noon at Andy Coakley Field.
