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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Columbia (Game 1)
Players Mentioned
Baseball Takes Two From Columbia; Stretches Division Lead to Four Games
April 25, 2011 | Baseball
Princeton came from behind to win both games on Monday and take three of four in the four-game series with the Lions. In the opening game, Princeton trailed 2-1 in the third before scoring two runs in the bottom of the third to take a lead. In the nightcap Princeton trailed 2-0 before scoring three times in the sixth to take the lead.
Game 1 (Box Score)
Sam Mulroy and Steve Harrington drove in runs with hits in the third inning as Princeton erased a 2-1 deficit and took a 3-2 lead in the opening game win. On the mound Mike Ford allowed just two hits as he earned a complete game win.
Princeton scored a run in the first as the Tigers hit three singles in the inning but scored as Harrington drove in Matt Bowman with a fielder's choice. The Tigers held the lead until the third when Columbia got both of hits and both of its runs. Nick Ferraresi hit a lead off single and after Mike Fischer was hit by a pitch, Nick Crucet tripled to right center and gave the Lions a lead.
Princeton answered right back though in the bottom of the third. With one out, John Mishu tripled over the head of the Columbia center fielder and scored on Mulroy's double. Harrington kept the rally going as he singled to left to score Mulroy and put Princeton up for good.
Ford cruised from there, allowing just one more base runner on a walk over the final four innings in earning his third win. Dan Bracey allowed three runs on eight hits in the loss.
Game 2 (Box Score)
Princeton completed the sweep thanks to a three-run sixth inning in the nightcap as the Tigers finally got to Columbia starter Geoff Whitaker in the inning. Whitaker kept Princeton baffled until the sixth inning as he didn't allow a base runner until the fifth inning when Harrington singled.
Whitaker got out of the inning but surrendered five hits in the sixth inning as Princeton scored three runs. With one out, Tom Boggiano singled to right field for Princeton's second hit of the game. Bowman then hit a chopper down the third base line that he would beat for an infield hit. Columbia's third baseman Jon Eisen threw the ball away though which let Boggiano score and Bowman reach third. Whitaker got the next out, but Princeton reeled off three straight singles to plate Bowman with the tying run and then Mike Ford with the go-ahead tally. Ford and Harrington had RBI-singles in the inning.
The Tigers added an insurance run in the eighth as Bowman hit a leadoff single and would score from second on a Mulroy single. Columbia got its two runs in the fifth inning. Ferraresi singled with one out and scored when Alex Ferrera hit a monster home run to straightaway center field.
The win went to Matt Grabowski in relief. He allowed four hits over the final 4.1 innings of the game. Kevin Link started and allowed two runs on three hits in 4.2 innings of work. Whitaker went the distance in a losing effort with four runs on eight hits. He fanned eight Tiger batters.
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Princeton is now 18-18 overall and 12-4 in the Ivy League following the sweep. It is the first time all season the Tigers have reached the .500 mark. Princeton holds a four-game lead over Penn in the Gehrig Division standings with four games remaining. Princeton also has a two-game lead on Yale and Dartmouth in the race to host the Ivy League Championship Series.
Princeton continues its homestand on Wednesday when it hosts Rider at Clarke Field at 3:30 p.m. On Monday, Princeton also made an upcoming schedule addition. Princeton will visit Delaware next Tuesday to make up for the St. John's game, which was cancelled two weeks ago.