| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Cornell |
Columbia |
| Sat. 11:30 a.m. ET |
LHP Noah Keller (1-3, 4.83 ERA) |
RHP Derek Yoo (4-1, 4.26 ERA) |
| Sat. 2:30 p.m. ET |
LHP William Jaun (1-3, 9.86 ERA) |
RHP Joe Sheets (3-3, 6.23 ERA) |
| Sun. 12 p.m. ET |
RHP Ethan Hamill (2-2, 5.19 ERA) |
TBA |
ITHACA, N.Y. — The top two teams in the Ivy League standings convene at Booth Field this weekend as Columbia (20-14, 12-3) makes its biennial trip to East Hill to face Cornell (13-14, 10-5).
PARKING NOTICE
• Please be advised that due to limited parking at Booth Field, spectators are kindly asked to carpool to this weekend's contests.
• A shuttle van will transport fans to and from the East Hill Plaza parking lot if space on-site is full. A parking attendant will also be on-site to provide assistance.
WEEKEND REWIND
• For the fourth consecutive weekend, Cornell posted a series victory over an Ivy League rival as the Big Red took two of three games from Yale last weekend at Booth Field.
• Cornell has won its last four Ivy League series, the program's longest streak of consecutive series victories since posting a five-series streak during the 2012 campaign — the Big Red's last time it won the Ivy League title.
• Junior outfielder
John Quinlan continued his torrid stretch of hitting, batting .571 (8-for-14) in the series with three doubles, a home run, and four RBI against the Bulldogs, highlighted by his walk-off two-run double in the 10th inning of Cornell's 10-9 victory, where it avenged an 8-0 eighth-inning deficit in the series opener.
• Sophomore left-handed pitcher
Noah Keller allowed two runs and scattered four hits while striking out six Yale batters in his six-inning outing to guide Cornell to ensure the series victory and claim the doubleheader sweep, 8-2.
• Yale took the finale, 6-3, despite freshman catcher
Mark Quatrani blasting his seventh home run of the season in the setback.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
•
Junior outfielder
John Quinlan and freshman catcher
Mark Quatrani received weekly awards from the Ivy League on Monday afternoon.
•
Cornell has had at least one player named to the Ivy League's weekly awards in each of the last four weeks, including Quatrani registering three of the last four Rookie of the Week awards.
•
In Cornell's four-game week, which included the Big Red posting a 3-1 record, Quinlan posted a .588 batting average (10-for-17) with three doubles, two home runs, and five RBI, to go along with his 1.784 OPS (.667 on-base percentage and 1.118 slugging percentage).
•
During his four appearances last week, Quatrani batted .357 (5-for-14) with a home run and five RBI and posted a 1.097 OPS (.526 on-base percentage and .571 slugging percentage).
OFF TO A GOOD START
• After its first five weekends of Ivy League play, Cornell has an 10-5 record against Ancient Eight opponents, featuring the Big Red going 10-3 over its last 13 conference matchups.
• The Big Red's two victories over Yale last weekend marked the eighth time since 1930 — when the Big Red joined the EIBL, which disbanded in 1992 — that it has posted at least 10 wins by its 15th conference game, joining teams from 1940 (10-1), 1972 (8-4), 1977 (10-2), 1980 (10-4), 1982 (11-4), 1998 (10-5), and 2012 (13-2).
BEST 15-GAME STARTS TO CONFERENCE PLAY
Cornell Program History (Since 1930)
• 13-2 (2012)
• 11-4 (1977, 1982)
• 10-5 (1972, 1980, 1998, 2024)
• With a win over Columbia this weekend, Cornell will have at least 11 conference victories for the first time since 2013 (11-9). It would also serve as the program's fourth time in the Ivy League era (since 1993), and sixth instance since 1930, it has amassed 11 wins within its 18th league game, joining teams from 1977 (11-3), 1982 (12-6), 1998 (11-7), 2012 (13-5), and 2013 (11-7).
• Should Cornell post two victories this weekend, it would be the Big Red's first 12-win season in conference play since 2012 (14-6), and the fourth time in program history it has had 12 wins in conference play, joining the 1982 (12-6), 1998 (12-8), and 2012 (14-6) squads.
• A sweep of Columbia this weekend would not only give Cornell sole possession of first place in the Ivy League standings, it would match the 2012 team (13-5) for the program's best 18-game start in Ivy League play (since 1993), and be the second-most wins in conference play in program history.
DIGGING THE LONG BALL
• Despite having its 12-game home run streak snapped against Penn on April 13, Cornell has hit a home run in 18 of its last 19 games, registering 33 of its 36 blasts during the span.
• Cornell's 36 home runs are the second-most in a season in program history, two round-trippers shy of matching the program record set in 2009 (38).
MOST HOME RUNS IN A SEASON
Cornell Program History
1. 2009 (38)
2. 2024 (36)
3. 1999 (35)
4. 2001 (34)
5. 2022 (33)
• Freshman infielder
Kevin Hager's first-inning, three-run home run against Penn on April 14 was Cornell's 30th home run of the season, marking the first time in program history the Big Red has hit 30-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons.
• Cornell has seven grand slams on the year, the most bases-clearing home runs in a season on record in program history. The seven grand slams matches the program's combined output over the previous nine years (eight seasons).
Q'S PROVIDING THE A'S
• Junior outfielder
John Quinlan and freshman catcher
Mark Quatrani have been two of Cornell's most reliable hitters since the beginning of Ivy League play.
• Quinlan is hitting an Ivy League-leading .449 (31-of-69) in Ivy League play this season, ahead of Penn's Wyatt Henseler by 42 points (.407) for the conference lead in batting average.
TOP BATTING AVERAGES IN IVY LEAGUE PLAY
This Season
.449, John Quinlan (Cornell)
.407, Wyatt Henseler (Penn)
.396, Nick DiPietrantonio (Princeton)
.393, Cole Hage (Columbia)
.382, Ben Rounds (Harvard)
.371, Nathan Brasher (Brown)
.369, Max Jensen (Cornell)
.362, William Lybrook (Harvard)
.360, Mark Quatrani (Cornell)
.359, Skye Selinsky (Columbia)
• Quinlan's 31 hits are tied with former Big Red player Will Simoneit for the most base hits in conference play in program history. Simoneit also had 31 hits during his senior campaign in 2019.
MOST HITS IN CONFERENCE PLAY
Cornell Program History
31, John Quinlan (2024)
31, Will Simoneit (2019)
• Cornell is the lone Ancient Eight program to have three players with at least 23 hits in Ivy League play, highlighted by Quinlan's league-leading 31 base knocks. Behind Quinlan is junior infielder
Max Jensen (24) and sophomore outfielder
Caden Wildman (23).
MOST HITS IN IVY LEAGUE PLAY
This Season
31, John Quinlan (Cornell)
24, Max Jensen (Cornell)
24, George Cooper (Harvard)
23, Nathan Brasher (Brown)
23, Skye Selinsky (Columbia)
23, Caden Wildman (Cornell)
• Quatrani has six home runs in Ivy League contests, standing as the second-most home runs in conference contests, only behind Henseler's seven blasts. Quatrani's 25 RBI leads the Ivy League and is one of two players with 20-plus ribbies, joined by Columbia's Skye Selinsky (23).
MOST HOME RUNS IN IVY LEAGUE PLAY
This Season
7, Wyatt Henseler (Penn)
6, Mark Quatrani (Cornell)
5, Skye Selinsky (Columbia)
5, Sam Miller (Columbia)
4, Matt Barnhorst (Cornell)
4, Jack Cooper (Columbia)
4, Cole Fellows (Columbia)
4, Ben Rounds (Harvard)
MOST RBI IN IVY LEAGUE PLAY
This Season
25, Mark Quatrani (Cornell)
23, Skye Selinsky (Columbia)
18, Eric Jeon (Columbia)
18, Caden Wildman (Cornell)
17, Cole Fellows (Columbia)
17, Wyatt Henseler (Penn)
17, Sam Miller (Columbia)
17, Griffin Palfrey (Columbia)
16, Max Jensen (Cornell)
• Both Quatrani (1.235) and Quinlan (1.180) have OPS figures north of 1.000, while junior infielder
Max Jensen (.984) and sophomore outfielder
Caden Wildman (.940) have an OPS above .900.
OPS LEADERS IN IVY LEAGUE PLAY
This Season
1.468, Wyatt Henseler (Penn)
1.249, Skye Selinsky (Columbia)
1.235, Mark Quatrani (Cornell)
1.220, Ben Rounds (Harvard)
1.207, Cole Hage (Columbia)
1.180, John Quinlan (Cornell)
1.174, Griffin Palfrey (Columbia)
QUINLAN'S HOT BAT
• Junior outfielder
John Quinlan enters this weekend's series holding a 1.73 hits per game average, ranking as the eighth-highest average among Division I hitters who have played in at least 75 percent of their team's games.
• Georgia phenom Charlie Condon is tied with Rutgers' Joshua Kuroda-Grauer for the top hits per game average with 1.85. Duke's Ben Miller (1.81), Fairfield's Dean Ferrara (1.76), Penn State's JT Marr (1.75), Austin Peay's Clayton Gray (1.74), and UTSA's Mason Lytle (1.74) have higher averages than Quinlan's 1.73 clip.
• Harvard's Ben Rounds has the second-highest hits per game average by an Ivy League player (1.58), which ranks 37th nationally.
HITS PER GAME LEADERS
This Season
1.85, Charlie Condon (Georgia)
1.85, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (Rutgers)
1.81, Ben Miller (Duke)
1.76, Dean Ferrara (Fairfield)
1.75, JT Marr (Penn State)
1.74, Clayton Gray (Austin Peay)
1.74, Mason Lytle (UTSA)
1.73, John Quinlan (Cornell)
LOOKING TO EXTEND THE STREAKS
• Senior catcher
Nathan Waugh enters this weekend riding a 31-game on-base streak that dates back to last season with a slash line of .280/.397/.458 with six doubles, five home runs, and 31 runs scored.
• Waugh's on-base streak is the longest by a Big Red player since Nathan Ford concluded his Big Red career with a 42-game streak over the 2008 (last two games) and 2009 (40 games) seasons.
• Freshman catcher
Mark Quatrani enters the weekend riding a 15-game on-base streak, which includes his team-leading nine-game hit streak. Quatrani is slashing .375/.500/.768 with two doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 27 RBI during his on-base streak, and .441/.558/.676 with two doubles, two home runs, and 14 RBI during his hit streak.
TURNING THE CORNER
• Cornell's 13 wins this season have already surpassed its win total from the 2023 season. The Big Red's 13 triumphs are one shy of matching its highest win total since posting 14-win seasons in 2018 and 2019,
Dan Pepicelli's third and fourth years serving as the Ted Thoren Head Coach of Cornell Baseball.
• Entering this weekend, Cornell (13-14) is tied with Creighton (29-9), St. Thomas (14-17), and Utah (26-13) for the fifth-best improved team from last season, having a two-game improvement from 2023. Florida State (32-8) paces the nation with their respective 4.5-game improvement from its 2023 win totals while Dartmouth (11-20) is right behind its four-game total. St. Bonaventure (14-21) and Tennessee Tech (26-15) are third and fourth, respectively, on the list.
MOST IMPROVED TEAMS FROM 2023
This Season (as of 4/25/24)
4.5 games, Florida State (23-31 -> 32-8)
4 games, Dartmouth (3-38 -> 11-20)
3 games, St. Bonaventure (8-40 -> 14-21)
2.5 games, Tennessee Tech (21-34 -> 26-15)
2 games, Cornell (9-26 -> 13-14)
2 games, Creighton (25-24 -> 29-9)
2 games, St. Thomas (10-34 -> 14-17)
2 games, Utah (22-32-1 -> 26-13)
Games determined: Subtracting 2024 win total from 2023 win total and dividing by two
SCOUTING COLUMBIA
• Columbia enters this weekend with an overall record of 20-14 and a 12-3 mark in Ivy League play. The Lions are currently riding a five-game win streak, which was extended Wednesday with their 31-0 victory over Seton Hall.
• Wednesday's scoring output was the second-most runs scored in a single game in Lions program history, only behind a 37-3 thrashing of Brooklyn Poly (now New York University) on an unidentified date in 1894.
• Griffin Palfrey and Jack Cooper each drove in seven runs apiece in the victory as the Lions pounded out 24 hits, 12 of which went for extra bases (seven doubles, one triple, four home runs). Jagger Edwards, Martin Zhang, Palfrey, and Brandon Madrigal combined to four-hit the Pirates in the seven-run contest.
• After opening the season with a 3-11 record, having played against the likes of No. 4-ranked Florida, No. 23-ranked UC Irvine, and No. 11-ranked East Carolina, the Lions have gone 17-4 and has scored 10-plus runs on 13 occasions during the stretch.
• Jack Cooper (13) and Cole Hage (11) both have double-digit home run totals this season, while Hage leads the team in batting average (.378) and OPS (1.249). Cooper has driven in a team-leading 51 RBI paired with his .336 average.
• Derek Yoo (4-1, 4.26 ERA) has logged the most innings of any Columbia pitcher, posting 44.1 IP over nine appearances, six of which were starts. Yoo has held opponents to hit just .226 off him this season, surrendering 37 hits against. Joe Sheets (3-3, 6.23 ERA) has made a team-high nine starts across his 10 appearances this season.
138 YEARS, 229 MILES, 251 MEETINGS
• Cornell leads the all-time series, 133-118, despite losing six of the last seven meetings against the Lions. The Big Red won the last game between the two teams, 13-8, to avoid being swept in a three-game series at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium.
• Over the last four trips to Ithaca, Columbia has posted a 7-4 record, which included posting a four-game sweep of the Big Red in 2014, taking two of three games in 2018, and winning all three games in 2022.
• With a series victory this weekend, it would be Cornell's first time taking a series over its Empire State rival since 2017 and the first time doing so on home turf since 2016.
• Senior catcher
Nathan Waugh has succeeded against Columbia, posting a .500 batting average (9-for-18) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, and six RBI over five career outings. Junior infielder
Max Jensen (8-for-23 — .348) has added three doubles, one home run, and four RBI in six career games against the Lions.
