NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Marist Softball team lost a pair of tight 3-1 ball games on the road Tuesday at Columbia. With strong even pitching to earn victories, the Red Foxes were unable to figure out the Columbia pitching duo of Emily Kenyon and Brooke Darling for more than one run in either game.
Junior Aly Klemmer (Hamilton, N.J.) led Marist's offensive effort with a 3-for-6 showing at the plate. Freshman Nicole Cheek (Simi Valley, Calif.) joined Klemmer as a player with multiple hits on the day as she went 2-for-6.
In the circle, starters Paige Lewis (Temecula, Calif.) and Melanie White (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) combined to throw 10 innings and allow just three earned runs. Sophomore Janine Lalli (Eastchester, N.Y.) chipped in two scoreless innings of relief in Game One.
GAME ONE, COLUMBIA 3 – MARIST 1: The Red Foxes led off the scoring in the first game of the day as Taylor Kuzma (Freehold, N.J.) came around to score on passed ball in the top of the third inning. After reaching on a single to left field, the speedy sophomore stole second base and was advanced to third on a Maureen Duddy (San Mateo, Calif.) grounder.
Columbia quickly responded in the bottom of the third with three two-out runs.
Marist attempted to scratch away at the 3-1 deficit in the fourth when Cheek and her fellow freshman Kyrsten Van Natta (Maplewood, N.J.) hit two singles in the team's first three at bats. With runners on first and third, Emily Kenyon buckled down and retired Marist's final two batters to strand both.
The host Lions tried to increase their lead in the fifth, but Duddy nailed Kayla Shimoda at home with a strong throw from center field.
For the game, Columbia outhit Marist 12-6 with Klemmer going 2-for-3.
Lewis took the loss in the circle as she went 4.0 innings and allowed three runs (all were unearned), while striking out one Columbia batter. In relief, Lalli went 2.0 innings and allowed one hit, while retiring two Lions on strikeouts.
GAME TWO, COLUMBIA 3 – MARIST 1: In the second game of the twinbill, Columbia jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of hits in the bottom of the first inning.
Though Marist challenged with base-runners in each of the second and third innings, the Lions would register the next run in the bottom of the fourth when three base hits plated Morgan Cook.
Melanie White retired the Lions in the next two frames to keep the Red Foxes within striking distance at just three runs down.
This would be important as the Red Foxes began a rally in the seventh inning. With one out, Lalli scorched an infield single that nearly took the Columbia second baseman's shoulder off. Safely on first, Lalli would advance to third when Christina Lausch (Lancaster, Pa.) reached on an error. With runners on first and third, Joelle Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) would drive in Lalli with a single to the right field corner. Unfortunately for Marist, Columbia's newly-inserted reliever Tessa Kroll retired the final two batters to clinch the 3-1 win for the Lions.
For the game, Columbia outhit Marist 7-5; five individual Red Foxes registered hits.
White was the hard-luck loser in the circle as she threw a complete game, while striking out four Columbia batters.
The Red Foxes (15-19) will be in non-conference action again on Thursday afternoon. Beginning at 2:30 p.m., Marist will host Colgate in a doubleheader.
