Rebel Games Bring Lions Softball Mixed Results Over Spring Break

Over spring break, Columbia’s softball team played 14 games in eight days as part of the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida.

The Lions started out the tournament on March 14 with losses to Robert Morris and Green Bay. Pitcher Maggie Johnson picked up her first loss of the year, allowing six runs, three earned, in five innings. Infielder Dani Pineda went 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the second inning in the 4-6 defeat. The team suffered its fourth shutout at the hands of Green Bay later that day, losing 0-3.

The following day, center fielder Karen Tulig hit a grand slam in the fourth inning against Fairleigh Dickinson for her second home run of the year, and Aimee Kemp won her second game of the year, allowing just three runs over seven innings for a 6-3 win. Shortstop Keli Leong scored a run and knocked in an RBI in a 2-1 win over Monmouth. Johnson scattered six hits over seven innings, allowing no earned runs for her fourth win of the season.

The Light Blue struggled in its four contests last Sunday and Tuesday, dropping a 3-4 decision to Rhode Island and Army on March 16. Kemp allowed the walk-off run against Rhode Island, allowing four earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched. Johnson was hit for four runs in as many innings against Army. Two days later, the Lions dropped both games in their Tuesday doubleheader. Kemp had her worst outing of the season thus far when she was rocked for 10 runs, including four earned in two innings, in a 1-10 loss to Hartford. Johnson lost her third decision of the season against Dayton on a wild pitch in the eighth inning. Leong had two RBI’s in the 3-4 defeat.

Johnson bounced back on Wednesday, yielding just one run on three hits through seven innings in a 5-1 win over Manhattan. She accounted for four of the team’s five runs, hitting 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored. The Lions, however, were shut out by Dayton later that day in a 7-0 loss.

On Thursday, second baseman Chantee Dempsey’s two RBIs were not enough to prevent the Lions from falling to Lafayette 9-3. Johnson had a forgettable outing, allowing 13 hits and five earned runs. Kemp picked up her third win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits in three innings of relief. Erica Clauss allowed one earned run in her first career start, and Columbia defeated Manhattan for the second time in the tournament.

The Lions wrapped up the tournament on Friday with a 6-3 win over Colgate and a 2-4 loss to Siena. Johnson scattered 11 hits over seven innings against Colgate, improving to a 6-4 record on the season. Kemp dropped to 3-7 on the season, allowing five hits in 2 1/3 innings against Siena.

The team’s overall record after the Rebel Games stands at 9-13 before heading into the Ivy League schedule. Columbia will take on the Brown Bears in a doubleheader at the Lions’ home opener this Saturday. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.