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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Columbia (Game 2)
Tigers Take Two From Columbia
April 15, 2006 | Baseball
April 15, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
NEW YORK - The Princeton baseball team used two strong pitching performances, offensive contributions and excellent defense to sweep Columbia in a doubleheader on Saturday at Andy Coakly Field. Senior Erik Stiller pitched seven shutout innings in the first game while freshman Adrian Turnham drove in three in the game. Then junior Eric Walz pitched 10 scoreless innings as Princeton picked up a 6-3 win in the second game. Sophomore Spencer Lucian broke a scoreless tie with his solo home run in the 11th.
GAME 1
Turnham started things offensively for Princeton in the third inning when he hit a leadoff double and scored on a single off the bat of senior Andrew Salini. An inning later Turnham hit his second double of the game, this time scoring junior Sal Iacono as Princeton was off to a 2-0 lead in an eventual 8-0 win. Turnham finished the game batting 4 for 4 with three RBIs.
The two-run lead was plenty for Stiller, who cruised through seven shutout innings, scattering six hits. He also struck out eight in the win.
Princeton added to its lead with two runs in the fifth. After a two-out single by Salini, senior Zach Wendkos hit his fifth home run of the season to deep center to make the score 4-0. Princeton ran its lead to 7-0 in the sixth. Sophomore Micah Kaplan hit a lead-off single and went to third on a hit-and-run that senior Stephen Wendell poked through the right side. Kaplan scored on a single by Turnham, his third hot of the day. Wendell scored on a single by freshman Derek Beckman and Turnham came home on a groundout from freshman Dan Degeorge. Princeton added on its final run in the seventh when Turnham singled home Kaplan.
GAME 2
The second game of the doubleheader was a classic pitcher's duel as Walz and Columbia starter Billy Purdy both took three-hit shutouts into the 10th inning. Purdy flirted with a no-hitter through seven and a third innings, but his no-hit bid ended when senior Stephen Wendell hit a single up the middle.
That inning also marked the first time a team threatened to score. Beckman came on to pinch run for Wendell and after stealing second, tried to score on a single from Lucian, but Beckman was thrown out at the plate and the score remained 0-0.
Princeton put a runner on in the 10th, but could not manufacture a run and Columbia came up looking to win it in the 10th inning and nearly did had it not been for an inning ending double play in which what would have been the winner run was thrown out at the plate. Michael DeFazio hit a one-out single to put a runner on. That brought up Spencer Silverstein whose shot to center bounced off the wall. Beckman picked it up and fired into the infield where junior Aaron Prince relayed it to the plate and junior catcher Sal Iacono held on and applied the tag at home plate. He then promptly fired it to second base where the Tigers were able to catch Silverstein.
Princeton cashed in on the instant momentum in the top of the 11th inning. With one out, Lucian hit a high fly ball to the opposite field that cleared the fence in right center and put Princeton ahead 1-0 with his second home run of 2006. Princeton continued to hit as DeGeorge doubled. The two hits marked the end of the day for Purdy, who took the loss, but did not end the inning for Princeton. Prince reached on a fielding error and he and DeGeorge both scored when Salini lined a triple down the right field line. Salini then scored on an Iacono single and Wendkos then scored on a single by Kaplan.
Walz left after 10 innings, having allowed five hits and striking out five. He earned the win to climb to 2-2 for the season.
In the bottom of the 11th, Columbia was able to score three unearned runs, including a two-run home run for Dan Neczypor but Princeton held on for the win.
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Saturday's sweep moves Princeton to 7-19-1 overall and 3-7 in the Ivy League. Princeton meets Columbia for a doubleheader again tomorrow.