Late Inning Surges Help Columbia Sweep Brown

Saturday, April 9

Providence, R.I.

11:30 AM

Brown University

Columbia

Photo by: David Silverman Photography

Late Inning Surges Help Columbia Sweep Brown

4/9/2022 7:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A big six-run rally in the ninth inning of game one helped propel Columbia to a doubleheader sweep over Brown baseball on Saturday afternoon at Murray Stadium. The Lions took game one by a count of 10-8, and scored nine runs over the final three innings to pull away for a 15-5 win in game two.

Freshman Gunner Boree went 5-for-7 in the doubleheader with a walk and five RBIs, including a 4-for-4 showing in game one with two home runs, one of which was a grand slam. Junior Ryan Marra tagged a three-run homer in game one and a double in game two. Junior Derian Morphew hit his second home run of the season in the nightcap as part of a three-hit game.

GAME ONE

Columbia plated three runs on three hits in the second inning, including a two-run infield single up in the middle to take the early 3-0 lead.
The Bears answered right back with one big swing of the bat in the bottom of the second inning. Reece Rappoli singled and Charles Crawford walked to put two on with one out. After a fielder's choice for the second out, Jacob Burley drew a four-pitch to load the bases for Boree, who stepped up and crushed an 0-1 pitch over the left center field fence for a grand slam to put Brown in front.
After an error and a single to start the fifth, Marra came up and jumped on the first pitch, lifting an opposite field three-run home run to left field for his team-leading fifth home run of the season to push the Bears lead to 7-3.
Columbia got one run back following a leadoff double and ground ball in the top of the seventh to cut it to 7-4.
Boree supplied the answer for Brown in the bottom of the seventh, launching a 3-2 pitch out to left for his first career multi-homer game to tack on an insurance run and make it 8-4.
With the Lions down to their final three outs in the ninth, the bats came to life with six runs (three earned) on six hits, pounding out a pair of doubles and a triple to produce five of the runs.
It marks the third time this season that Columbia has come from behind by four or more runs in the seventh inning or later.
Brown put two on and brought the winning run to the plate with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, but was unable to push a run across falling 10-8.
After a shaky first couple of innings, starter Bobby Olsen settled in nicely and allowed just three hits over four shutout innings to finish his outing, allowing a total of three runs on six hits over 6.0 innings of work.

GAME TWO

For the second straight game, the Lions jumped in front with three quick runs, plating three in the first on three hits including a two-run homer.
Brown got one back in the bottom of the first as Jackson Hipp drew a bases loaded walk.
The Lions added two more runs (one earned) on three hits in the second, capitalizing on a Brown error to up the lead to 5-1.
Brown got another run back in the bottom of the second, when Morphew jumped on the first pitch he saw leading off and sent it out to the opposite field and over the left field fence for his second home run of the season.
The Bears put another on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Ray Sass led off with a single, then Crawford parked one off the bottom of the wall in center field to score Sass from first and make it 5-3.
Both teams traded runs in the sixth inning, with Columbia plating an unearned run with a two-out single, and Brown on a ground ball, making it 6-4 after six.
The Lions once again flexed their muscles in the late innings, plating nine runs over the final three frames, including six in the eighth inning to help pull away for the 15-5 final.
Brown did get one back in the ninth thanks to a leadoff double by Marra and an RBI single from Sass.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH: GRANT ACHILLES

"It's a big testament to Columbia and their preparation. Any time you're a team that has come from behind, you never feel like you're out of the game. Like last weekend, we outplayed a team for eight innings, and today Columbia capitalized on some pitches in the middle of the zone."
"Ryan (Marra) has helped us out all year long with his play over at first base. That's been a mainstay for us. He's been a guy that's shown toughness throughout the entire year, being able to battle and give us some good at bats and still have some power to come through."
"Gunner had a great day. He's been working really hard to get comfortable back in the box again after a tough stretch. It's good to see all of his hard work pay off."

ON DECK
Brown and Columbia will finish off their three-game series on Sunday at noon at Murray Stadium.

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