Army steamrolls CU in afternoon game

The Columbia baseball team put off its typical Wednesday afternoon routine to visit Army for a weekday matinee. After an 18-2 drubbing at the hands of the Black Knights, the Lions probably wish they had stayed put in sunny Morningside.
From the top of the first, it was evident things were not going Columbia’s way. After loading the bases with one out on a trio of singles, the Lions looked ready to make an early move and take the lead, but third baseman Mike Roberts chopped one to second and the Black Knights turned the 4-6-3 double play, ending Columbia’s threat.
After the two teams traded single runs over the next two innings—Columbia by virtue of a well-executed double steal—Army unloaded on Lions reliever Zach Epstein in the bottom of the fourth. Epstein, who struggled to find the plate, was hit hard in the rare instances when he did manage to throw strikes. Two hit batsmen and a walk added to the onslaught brought about by four hits in Epstein’s two-thirds of an inning on the mound. His replacement, Clay Bartlett, promptly yielded a three-run dinger to right fielder Ben Koenigsfeld. When the dust settled and the Lions finally recorded the third out, Army had put an eight-spot on the board in the bottom of the fourth, building an insurmountable 9-1 advantage.
Columbia’s nightmare continued into the fifth, when Bartlett lost control and walked two men before an infield single loaded the bases for the Black Knights with one away. Shortstop Alex Ferrera then booted a grounder, bringing home Army’s 10th run, and setting the stage for Joey Henshaw’s two-run single. After another walk, Max Lautmann came on for the Lions, but he was also pounded, giving up an RBI double and allowing another run to score courtesy of a wild pitch. After five innings, the Black Knights held a 14-1 lead.
Three more runs in the sixth and one in the eighth would push their lead to 17, but Columbia finally got one back in the bottom of the eighth when Bobby O’Brien homered over the left field wall, closing out the scoring for the afternoon.
Seven Army pitchers were responsible for holding the Columbia bats at bay all afternoon, led by Steve Cummings, who pitched the first four innings for his first victory on the season.
The Lions return to league play this weekend. They will hope to put Wednesday’s events behind them beginning with a Saturday doubleheader at Yale.