NEW YORK — Columbia baseball mounted a six-run rally in the ninth inning, but it was not enough to overcome Manhattan’s early surge in a 17-9 loss Wednesday afternoon.

The Lions fell to 4-13, while the Jaspers improved to 9-12.

Hunter Snyder led Columbia’s offense, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Jack Kail drove in three runs and added a double. Jack McWilliams hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot in the ninth, and Cole Fellows also connected on his first homer of the season.

Manhattan seized control early. Hunter Sute delivered an RBI triple to right field and later scored on an error as the Jaspers built a 4-0 lead in the first inning. They added another run on a groundout in the second.

Fellows put Columbia on the board with a solo home run to center in the bottom of the second. Manhattan answered in the third with a squeeze play to extend the lead to 6-1.

After two walks and a sacrifice bunt moved runners into scoring position in the third, Kail drove in Snyder with a groundout to make it 6-2. However, Manhattan broke the game open in the fourth.

Justin Best sparked a five-run inning with a two-run double to right. Sute followed with an RBI double, and Josiah Brown capped the frame with a two-run home run to push the lead to 11-2.

Columbia threatened in the fifth, putting two in scoring position with one away, but only came away with one run after an RBI groundout.

The Jaspers added three runs in the sixth after loading the bases with one out in the frame. A two-run single and a throwing error on the relay throw allowed the bases to clear. Guriyandel Salva hit a solo home run in the eighth, and Manhattan tacked on two more runs in the ninth on RBI singles.

McWilliams stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter in his Lions’ debut to spark the ninth-inning rally. The sophomore launched a two-run home run to left to cut the deficit to 17-5. Snyder followed with an infield single, and after a hit batter, Kail delivered a two-run double to right.

Ben Seminara added an RBI groundout, and Dean Reynolds hit a ground-rule double to score another run. The rally brought Columbia within eight before Manhattan induced a game-ending groundout.

Columbia used eight pitchers and recorded 12 strikeouts. Dan Mills pitched 2.1 innings, allowing two runs while striking out three. Jack Korthas and Jake Taylor each added scoreless relief appearances. Will Harrigan (1-1) took the loss.

Andrew Castelluccio (1-1) earned the win for Manhattan, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing three hits.

Up Next

Columbia opens Ivy League play on the road this weekend against Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire. Due to potential inclement weather, the final series schedule will be announced in the coming days.

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