The season is winding down for the Columbia Lions. It’s been a season full of ups and downs. Ivy League title hopes? Well, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here now. Lions first need to take care of business against Penn, which they didn’t exactly do that in Game One of their doubleheaders.
Quakers got the best out of the Lions early on in the game attacking four runs in the first. All came in with singles and doubles. Lions starter Josh Simpson was struggling heavily out their. His command wasn’t good enough to put away Penn’s bats. The damage continued in the second inning when catcher Tim Graul smacked a 2-run homer to increase the lead 6-0. Graul would pick up an RBI single to extend the lead 7-0 in the fourth.
Columbia was held to just three hits through the first six innings. However, things got a little interesting in the seventh and final inning. Senior Logan Boyher hit a home run off the videoboard in left-centerfield to lead the frame off and put the Lions on the board. Few moments later, with two men on base, Robb Paller hits a 3-run homer to right field to cut the run deficit to three, but it was a little too late. Quakers would hold on to beat the Lions 7-4 in Game 1 of the doubleheader.
Simpson finished the season with a 2-4 pitching record. He allowed eight hits, six earned runs with two strikeouts.
