Pitching Falls Short in 10-3 Loss to Monmouth

Going into their matchup yesterday against the Monmouth Hawks, the Columbia baseball team knew that pitching would decide the outcome of the game. That belief proved to be true as Columbia lost the game 10-3. Senior pitcher Matt Coulson led the Hawks to victory by going seven innings with six strikeouts, surrendering only one earned run.

Columbia pitcher and team captain Andrew Walther pitched well in his first start of the season, finishing with two scoreless innings, two strikeouts, and only one hit. Columbia head coach Brett Boretti primarily uses Walther as a relief pitcher, so the start against Monmouth was surprising. But when Boretti pulled him after the second inning, the Lions' problems began.

In the bottom of the third, Columbia pitcher Chris Hunter got into trouble as he allowed the Hawks to load the bases. Monmouth junior first baseman Andy Meyers capitalized on the situation and hit a bases-loaded infield single to drive in the game's first run. Shawn Teters and Rick Niederhaus followed with sacrifice flies, and by the end of the third inning, Monmouth had jumped out to a 3-0 advantage.

In the next inning Columbia got on the board as junior outfielder Noah Cooper led off the fourth with a single and eventually scored following a Ron Williams single up the middle to put the score 3-1. The RBI was Williams' 20th on the year, and he is second on the team in both hits and RBIs, trailing only senior captain Andrew Ward.

The two-run deficit was as close as the Light Blue would get for the rest of the game. Monmouth added three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a commanding 9-1 lead. Columbia scored another run in the seventh inning as Kyle Roberts drove in Williams. Williams had singled to left field and advanced to second on an error. Following Andrew Ward's fielder's choice, Roberts hit a liner to left field that drove in Williams.

The Lions added another run in the eighth after junior Mike Malfettone scored on freshman Dean Forthun's deep sacrifice fly to make the game 9-3. Monmouth scored in the bottom half of the inning, which the brought the score to what proved to be the final tally of 10-3.

The loss brings Columbia to 10-14-1 on the season, while Monmouth improves to 12-8-1. Following their loss to the Hawks, the Lions prepare to square off against Brown and Yale in doubleheaders this weekend.