Baseball Falls to Rutgers in Eleven

The Columbia baseball team mounted two comebacks in Tuesday’s bout with non-conference Rutgers. Third time would not be the charm, however, as the Scarlet Knights squashed a final potential Lions comeback in extra innings to take the game 5-4.

The Light Blue would first rally from behind in the bottom of the third. Down 2-0, Nick Cox doubled down the left field line, scoring Kevin Roberts, as Columbia broke through to score its first run of the game. The Lions would then use some small ball to tie the score. After Jason Banos walked, he and Cox successfully executed a double steal, setting up Ron Williams with the potential go-ahead run in scoring position. Williams plated Cox with an RBI single to center field, tying the score 2-2.

Rutgers again took the lead in the fifth, when the team managed to score with one out and a runner on third on a ground out to third base. The score remained 3-2 for the next four innings, as Scarlet Knight starting pitcher Dale Hering and reliever Kevin Lillis shut down the Columbia offense.

The Lions’ bullpen returned the favor as Max Lautmann, Joey Mizzoni, and Clay Bartlett combined to hold the Scarlet Knights scoreless over the next three innings.

The stage was set for some ninth inning heroics. Down by one, Jon Tasman led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to center field off of Lillis in what would be his last inning of work. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Tasman scored the equalizer on pinch hitter Jake Summerhays’ RBI single up the middle, tying the game at 3-3. Another hit by Cox followed, prompting Rutgers to intentionally walk Banos, loading the bases for Columbia with two outs. The decision paid off, as Williams failed to convert, striking out and forcing the game into extra innings.

After Bartlett pitched a scoreless 10th, the Lions could not get anything going against Jason Downey in their half of the inning. The game headed into the 11th, as Bartlett turned the ball over to Dan Bracey. Bracey’s outing would decide the game, as he gave up two runs on two hits in his one inning of work. Columbia headed into the bottom of the 11th down 5-3 and in need of yet another miracle.

With two outs, the Lions looked as if they were going to pull off the improbable comeback. Three consecutive singles culminated in an RBI to center field by Banos and brought Columbia within 5-4. For the second time in the game, however, Williams could not take advantage of a bases-loaded situation, ending the game with a strikeout.

With this loss, the Lions’ overall record falls to 10-18. The real test, however, will come this weekend, as Columbia hosts Princeton for a two-day, four-game series at Andy Coakley Field that will be crucial to both teams’ playoff hopes. The Lions currently sit atop Gehrig Division standings with a 6-2 Ivy League record, two games ahead of the Tigers. Columbia will need the ability to come back in close games such as this down the stretch in order to make a serious bid for an Ancient Eight championship.