Baseball Begins League Campaign on Road at Penn

The Columbia baseball team (4-9-1) will open its Ivy League schedule on March 24-25 with back-to-back doubleheaders against Penn (5-7) at Philadelphia. The series, which opens Ivy play for the Lions, is crucial for success in the league for the young Lions squad.

Columbia enters the game on a three-game losing streak after being swept by a strong Western Carolina team. The beginning of Ivy League play, however, gives the team a chance to start fresh and improve on its 6-14 league record from last year, where the Lions were swept in series against Dartmouth, Harvard, and Princeton.

The turnaround will most likely be led by senior captain Andrew Ward, with support from sophomores Ron Williams and Mike Roberts and freshmen Jason Banos and Dean Forthun, all of whom have played well this season.

Banos has won the Ivy League Rookie of the Week award two weeks in a row and his consistent play has anchored the team. He is batting .327 and is currently in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak. He collected three hits, two walks, four runs, and an RBI against Western Carolina on March 17. If Banos can extend his hot streak in Philadelphia this weekend, the Lions could come back to New York with a few wins in the bag.

But the Quakers will be a formidable opponent. Penn is led by sophomore catcher Tim May and senior Josh Corn. May is batting .395 with a .440 OBP, while Corn is batting .370 and is second on the team with nine RBIs.

The matchup this weekend could come down to pitching. While Columbia has the deeper offensive lineup with more options and power, the Quakers' team ERA of 6.09 is more than one whole percentage point lower than the Lions.

Columbia's success this weekend may turn on the performance of pitcher and senior captain Andrew Walther. After a solid season last year, Walther has struggled this season. His ERA is a team-high 19.06 and he leads the pitching staff with 10 walks allowed. As the captain of a young Lions squad, it is crucial that Walther get on track this weekend and help the team get some much-needed victories.

Action begins at noon on March 24 in Philadelphia.