Light Blue Faces Knights After 11 Straight Losses

Currently in the midst of an 11-game losing streak, the Columbia softball team (12-24, 3-9 Ivy) will look for its first win in over two weeks in a pair of nonconference games against Fairleigh Dickinson (6-17, 2-6 Northeast) on Tuesday.

What began as a promising season for the Lions has quickly dissolved over the past two weeks. After winning three of their first four Ivy League games, their best start after 4 games in the program’s history, the Lions have dropped 11 straight contests dating back to a 5-0 shutout loss to Yale on March 30. They now sit in the basement of the Ivy League Southern Division and hold the third-worst mark in conference play with their 3-9 record.

The team’s struggles were punctuated over the past weekend’s series against Princeton. The Tigers swept Columbia, outscoring the Light Blue by 34 runs in the four games, to remain undefeated in league play.

“We have to refocus, come out, and do the little things right,” head coach Kayla Noonan said. “We have to be better at taking care of the little things on our end.”

Offensively, the Lions looked anxious at the plate, especially after falling into early deficits.

“We need to keep battling on every single pitch, jump on better pitches, and work earlier in the count, not later in the count,” Noonan said. “We have to make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. ... If we notice someone is trying to work the same pitch in a certain count, we have to be aware of it.”

Overall, Noonan cited a lack of consistent intensity as the root of her team’s problems.

“We need to have more innings where we go three up and three down, go into the batter’s box aggressively, and then go back on the field and keep that momentum going,” she said.

Despite all of its struggles, Columbia has a golden opportunity to recover against a team it defeated earlier in the year. The Lions beat the Knights exactly one month ago at the Rebel Games tournament in Florida, 6-3.

Sophomore pitcher Aimee Kemp had one of her stronger outings of the year in that game, allowing just three runs over a complete seven innings for her second win of the year. Freshman outfielder Jackie Ecker and freshman third baseman Karen Tulig combined for three hits, three runs, and four RBI in the win.

Tuesday’s games are scheduled for 3 and 5 p.m. at the Columbia Softball Field.