Columbia Holds Off Army in Slugfest

Wednesday, March 25

New York, N.Y.

3:30 PM

Army West Point

10-9

Columbia

8-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Army West Point	0	1	2	3	1	2	1	0	10	11	3
Columbia	3	3	0	4	2	0	1	X	13	9	4

Columbia Holds Off Army in Slugfest

March 25, 2015 | Baseball

Box Score

March 25, 2015

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Columbia jumped out to an early lead and continually answered Army's comeback attempts in a 13-10 victory over the Black Knights on Wednesday afternoon at Satow Stadium. Darkness forced the conclusion of the game after Army batted in the eighth inning.

The Black Knights dipped to 10-9 on the year, while Columbia improved to 8-9 with the positive result in its home opener.

Mark McCants and Jacob Page each went yard for Army in the setback and posted multi-hit performances along with Harold Earls. Page drove in three runs, including his second home run of the season, while junior catcher Ben Smith had a pair of RBI. Collectively, Army recorded 11 hits and scored at least 10 runs for the fifth time in 2015.

The reigning Ivy League champions plated three runs in each of the first two innings off Army starting pitcher Stu Schley to build a 6-1 lead after two complete frames. Gus Craig drove in two with a first-inning walk and then tripled in his second plate appearance. McCants' third home run, a leadoff solo shot, put Army on the board in the top half of the second.

Page delivered a two-run single to left field in the top of the third inning off Columbia reliever George Martin, who came into the game for Bryce Barr. The Lions' right-handed starter tossed two innings before exiting the scheduled staff day.

After Patrick Gardner fired a shutdown inning in the bottom of the third, Army tied the game briefly with three runs in its next trip to the dish. Alex Dickerson led off with a single and later scored on an error prior to Smith's two-run double down the right field line.

Columbia countered with a four-run outburst in the home half of the fourth that featured a bases-clearing double off the bat of Nick Maguire. Gardner struck out three, allowed four earned runs and fell to 2-2 on the year.

Page's solo home run made it 10-7, but Columbia came back with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Lee started Army's sixth inning with a base hit and he eventually scored as Army pushed a pair of unearned runs across in the inning.

Leading 12-10 after Army's Earls brought home Johnny Griffith with an RBI single in the seventh, Columbia added an insurance run to run the final total to 13-10. Harrisen Egly pitched a scoreless eighth to collect the save before the game was called due to darkness.

Ryan Marks was credited with the victory after he gave up three runs, one earned, over two innings of work.

Army opens Patriot League play this weekend against Lehigh in Lewisburg, Pa. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for noon at Depew Field.

Game Notes: Senior shortstop Alex Jensen started his 174th consecutive game, the seventh longest active streak in the nation ... Mark McCants has reached base safely in eight consecutive games ... Alex Dickerson extended his hitting streak to six games with a fourth-inning single ... Ben Smith registered his third multiple-RBI game of the season ... Jacob Page drove in a season-high three runs.