After winning its first regional game, Columbia baseball was kept at arm's length for most of its second game and ultimately fell 3-8 yesterday to No. 8 Miami (Fla.).
Junior righty Kevin Roy, starte the game on the mound for the Light Blue, and struggled off the bat. After loading the bases to start the second inning, right fielder Willie Abreu doubled down the left field line to bring home two Miami runners. Left fielder Jacob Heyward then singled to right field to bring home another run.
With runners on the corners, center fielder Ricky Eusebio was walked, again loading the bases. First baseman Christopher Barr then hit into a fielder's choice to bring home the fourth run before second baseman George Iskenderian grouned into a double play to end the inning.
Columbia responded on a long ball from senior right fielder Gus Craig to lead off the bottom of the inning.
However, it was not long until Miami's bats struck again. After Roy allowed three walks to load the bases in the fourth, senior Mike Weisman entered the game and allowed two inherited runners to score, before settling in and got third baseman David Thompson to pop out to left field to end the inning.
Overall, Roy gave up six runs, all earned, on five hits and six walks in 3.2 innings pitched.
Like in the second, Columbia responded in the bottom of the third inning. After Craig walked on four pitches, senior third baseman David Vandercook homered to right field to bring the Lions' run total to three.
However, those were the last Light Blue runs that would score as Miami's starter, Thomas Woodrey, kept the Lions at bay. In 5.2 innings pitched, he gave up only three earned runs on six hits and two walks while accumulating five strikeouts.
“He was throwing multiple pitches for strikes. He was keeping us off balance by throwing it on both sides of the plate," Vandercook said. "At least for us, he made a few mistakes that we were able to capitalize on. Other than that he was pounding the zone and not giving us anything for free.”
Weisman ate up innings for the Lions, who have to win three more games between today and tomorrow to advance to Super Regionals. In 3.2 innings pitched, he gave up only two runs, both earned, on five hits and a walk while amassing four strikeouts.
"I thought Mike [Weisman] did a really nice job of letting us settle in and giving ourselves a shot at getting back into the ballgame, which we did, but we just didn’t have enough to overcome it,” Columbia head coach Brett Boretti said.
Columbia's only chance to score after Vandercook's home run came in eighth. After junior left fielder Robb Paller singled through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch, senior designated hitter Joey Falcone singled to right field. Paller was signalled home, but was thrown out on a strong throw from Abreu.
The Lions also made a push in the bottom of the ninth. After a Vandercook double to right field and walk by first-year shortstop Randell Kanemaru, junior John Kinne hit into a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Miami then inserted its closer, Bryan Garcia, and he escaped unscathed by getting sophomore second baseman Will Savage to pop out to first base.
"It’s tough playing a team obviously as good as Miami, and giving them quite a few opportunities of guys on base early on, and coming from behind, but I thought our guys stuck with it and continued to play hard the whole way through," Boretti said.
Columbia will send sophomore Ty Wiest to the mound today to face FIU at 1 p.m. A victory for the Lions will result in them facing Miami (46-14) again at 7 p.m.
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