Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Columbia (Game 2)
Princeton Swept By Columbia in Baseball Doubleheader
April 23, 2005 | Baseball
April 23, 2005
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon as the Tigers faced Columbia at Clarke Field. With Princeton's two losses, and a pair of wins by Cornell over Penn, the Tigers and Big Red are now tied atop the Gehrig Division standings with six games left to play, including four between the two opponents.
In the first game, Princeton (13-20, 7-7 Ivy) scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the first to jump out to a lead. With two outs, junior Andrew Salini walked and senior Adam Balkan singled to put two on. Sophomore Sal Iacono then hit a fly ball to center, that the Columbia centerfielder dropped as he ran in to make the catch. Salini scored on the error. Balkan and Iacono then scored when senior Paul Ackerman doubled to left field.
Columbia (6-29, 4-12) chipped a run off the lead and pulled even in the fifth. The Lions went ahead 4-3 in the sixth when Henry Perkins hit a one-out infield single. He went to second on a throwing error on the play and scored when Dan Neczypor singled up the middle. Any chance for a Tiger comeback was put to rest when the Lions added four runs in the top of the seventh to seal their win.
Freshman Christian Staehely allowed eight runs, six were earned, on 12 hits. He fell to 0-4. Bill Purdy earned the win as he allowed three runs, all unearned, on seven hits. In the night cap, Columbia went up 1-0 in the first inning before Princeton went ahead 2-1 with runs in the third and fifth innings. The Tigers had a chance to score in the first with two on and no outs, but with the hit-and-run on, Salini lined out to the second baseman who started a tripled play to get Columbia out of the inning.
In the third, junior Stephen Wendell reached after being hit by a pitch. He went to second on a wild pitch, third on a passed ball and scored on sophomore Aaron Prince's single. Two innings later, junior Zach Wendkos hit a leadoff triple and scored on a wild pitch.
Columbia answered back with three runs in the top of the inning. Tighe Holden started the rally by striking out, but a passed ball allowed him to reach first. Henry Perkins then tripled to score him and even things up at two runs apiece. Columbia added two more in the inning and two more in the top of the ninth on a Andrew Ward homer off the left field foul pole to secure the 6-2 win.
Sophomore Gavin Fabian took the loss. He allowed four runs, one earned, in six and a third innings. Freshman Steven Miller allowed two runs in relief. Greg Mullens pitched a complete game for Columbia.
The two teams are back in action against one another tomorrow at Clarke Field.