Aided by Fordham miscues, CU notches comeback win

With a combination of heads-up baserunning, strong pitching, and a series of Fordham miscues, Columbia was able to emerge victorious in a wild afternoon game that featured five total errors and 10 different pitchers.
The baseball team staged a late rally Wednesday afternoon to steal a confidence-building win away from host Fordham. With the victory, the Lions (9-24) snapped a three-game slide and now have two days off before a pair of weekend doubleheaders against Cornell, a Gehrig Division foe. In addition, no Columbia hurler went for more than two innings on Wednesday, ensuring that the Lions will have a fresh set of arms going into the pivotal Cornell games.
Fordham took an early second-inning lead off Columbia starter Zach Epstein. With two men in scoring position and one out, Stephen McSherry brought the lead runner home with a single up the middle. Center fielder Nick Cox’s throw to the plate was too late, but catcher Dean Forthun nailed McSherry as he tried to advance to second on the throw. An Alex Kenny RBI single then knocked in Fordham’s second run before Epstein got the third out.
Although the Matador offense was held at bay by a trio of Columbia pitchers over the next four innings, the Lions were unable to break the ice off Fordham starter Brando Casalicchio. The junior cruised through five scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and one walk on five strikeouts.
As soon as Casalicchio was lifted, however, the Lions went on the attack, picking up a run in the sixth off reliever James Stone. Cox doubled home Alex Aurrichio, who had singled and advanced to second on an error.
The Light Blue entered the seventh with a 2-1 deficit and managed to finish the inning with a 3-2 lead after a sloppy defensive inning for the Matadors. Mike Roberts led things off and moved all the way to second on a Stone error. Forthun then walked, and Ron Williams moved Roberts over to third with a sacrifice fly. A passed ball scored the tying run and allowed Forthun to move into scoring position. After Aurrichio moved him to third on a groundout, Bobby O’Brien knocked him in with a single to center.
Although the Matadors got one back to tie it at three in the bottom half of the frame, the Lions were determined to come out of the Bronx with a win. In the eighth, they scored two more runs with the assistance of yet another Fordham miscue. After the Light Blue put runners on second and third following a single and an error by new pitcher Jake Rabinowitz, Jon Eisen knocked in the go-ahead run with a groundout to second. Roberts then brought home an insurance run with another roller to the right side.
Armed with a 5-3 advantage, relievers Alex Ferrera—who moved over from his usual position at shortstop—and Pat Lowery were able to keep Fordham’s bats quiet over the final two innings. Columbia’s Derek Squires picked up his first win of the season with an inning of scoreless relief.
Saturday’s first matchup against Cornell is set for 12 p.m. at Robertson Field.