KAYLA NOONAN POSTGAME INTERVIEW | EMILY SNODGRASS POSTGAME INTERVIEW

BOX SCORE (.html) | BOX SCORE (.pdf)

KISSIMMEE, Fla.  – Junior Emily Snodgrass belted a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to propel the Columbia softball team past Lehigh, 3-1, to wrap up day one of the Rebel Spring Games for the Lions.

First-year hurler Emily Kenyon earned her first collegiate victory (1-2), allowing just one unearned run on two hits to go with six strikeouts in seven innings of work.

The Mountain Hawks (7-7-1) took a 1-0 lead in the third, drawing a pair of walks sandwiched between a wild pitch to put runners on first and third with one out. Lehigh’s Rosie Roesell took off for second base, hoping to draw a throw to allow the runner on third to score. Catcher Liz Caggiano came up firing, but her throw went between Columbia’s middle infielders to allow the run to plate.

The Lions’ rally came in the top of the fifth inning, starting with an infield single by Nicole Borchard. A sacrifice bunt by Kayla Shimoda pushed Borchard into scoring position, leading to a single by Emily Caruthers. The next batter was Snodgrass, who blasted a towering big fly well over the wall in centerfield for her first dinger of the season and second of her career.

From there, Kenyon used a combination of big strikeouts and stellar defensive plays from Columbia’s outfielders, who seemed to be in perfect position on every fly ball, to go on for its first triumph over Lehigh in three tries this season.

Caruthers finished the game 2-for-3 from the dish with a stolen base.

The Lions return to action at the Rebel Spring Games on Saturday, March 16, with games against Saint Peter’s at 11 a.m. and Utah Valley at 3 p.m.