ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell continued its recent strong play, splitting a Sunday afternoon Ivy League doubleheader against Columbia, winning game two 7-2 after dropping the opener 4-3 at Niemand*Robison Field. The Big Red is 4-2 in its last six games and moved to 8-22 (3-9 Ivy) overall, while Columbia moved to 11-26 (4-8 Ivy).

Game 1
A late rally wasn't enough, as Columbia's 4-1 lead entering the seventh was just enough to close out the Big Red 4-3. Meg Parker was 3-for-4 with a two-run single in the final frame to help her cause. The senior hurled a complete game in the circle, striking out six and scattering eight hits.

The Big Red took a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to an RBI double by Rebecca Kubena after singles by Emily Weinberg and Parker. The bats would quiet for much of the afternoon and Columbia strung together four consecutive runs, including tying the game in the second on a two-out RBI triple by Bonnie Schipper. The Lions took the lead an inning later after Krystin Wong homered to right to lead off the inning, then extended the lead with two insurance runs in the sixth after a run-scoring double by Alexandra Yule, followed by a wild pitch with the bases loaded to plate another runner to put the visitors up 4-1.

Kim Dolhon walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and after Lauren May doubled to put runners on second and third, Columbia starter Tonia Wu settled down to retire consecutive batters. Parker's two-out single to center scored both runners to get the home team within one, but Wu retired the final hitter to close out the Lions' second straight win in the series.

Yule was 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and an RBI, while Schipper also had two hits. Like Parker, Wu scattered eight hits, but allowed just two walks and struck out three.

Game 2
Cornell brought out the big bats to complete the series split and Parker didn't allow an earned run and surrendered just five hits, including two in the first six frames, to pick up her second win of the series in the circle.

The Big Red led 7-0 after six and pounded out six extra-base hits, including home runs by Kim Dolhon and Olivia May. In all, Cornell had 11 hits in winning its fourth game in the last six outings.

Parker was outstanding in her second start of the day, allowing just one runner past third base over the first six innings before the Lions took advantage of an infield single and an error to plate to in the final framer before Parker closed out the threatening Lions with the bases loaded.

Emily Weinberg was 3-for-4 at the plate and Dolhon was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored. In all, nine different Big Red players had a hit in the win.

Cornell scored a run in the first on a ground-rule double by Leanne Iannucci and added one in the second thanks to a Weinberg RBI single. Olivia May's two-out homer in the fourth made it 4-0, and Dolhon's three-run shot two innings later gave Cornell the 7-0 edge. Columbia's two-run rally in the seventh made the Big Red sweat the result out a bit, but never brought the tying run to the plate.

The Big Red will play a midweek doubleheader at Binghamton on Thursday, April 21 at 3:30 p.m.