NEW YORK, N.Y. - The University of Pennsylvania baseball team matched up with Columbia at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium on Friday afternoon, resulting in a 21-11 victory for the Lions. The Quakers scored runs in four consecutive innings; however, the hosts battled back to snatch the first of three games in New York.

Quaker Notemeal
*Freshman infielder Jay Secretarski paced the Red and Blue at the dish on Friday, registering three hits, four RBIs, two walks and a run scored.
 
*Ryan Taylor (2-for-5), Gavin Degnan (2-for-5) and Gavin Collins (2-for-4) all notched two hits in the outing and combined for four RBIs.
 
*First baseman Nick Spaventa launched his fourth home run of the season in the sixth frame, giving him the team lead this season.  

*Jarrett Pokrovsky (1), Ernie Echevarria (1) and Michael Powell (1) accounted for the remainder of Penn's 13 hits.

*Senior right-hander Jake Moss made his seventh start on the hill and finished the contest with four strikeouts in five innings.

*Ben Moulin, Josh Katz, Connor Darling, and Luke Pokrovsky all appeared on the mound for the Quakers.

How It Happened
The visitors wasted no time in the first frame, posting two runs on two hits and an error. Secretarski and Pokrovsky reached on an error and a single, followed by an RBI single from Degnan. Junior Nick Guachione gave the Red and Blue a 2-0 lead with a sac fly to left field.

Penn tacked on two more runs in the second inning. Secretarski's double to left field with one out scored Powell and Collins after the pair walked and tallied a single. Columbia starter Will Harrigan escaped the frame with a groundout and a strikeout.

The Quakers put together a four-run third inning to take an 8-0 advantage. The bases were loaded after a pair of walks and a hit by pitch when Collins stepped to the plate. The Bristol, Ind. native proceeded to reach on an infield single and Taylor scored another run in the next at-bat on a fielder's choice. Penn's lead extended to eight runs when Secretarski ripped his second double of the afternoon to left-center field, which drove in Collins and Taylor.

Through three innings, Moss allowed only two hits to keep the hosts off the board.

Penn's ninth run of the day crossed home plate in the fourth inning courtesy of an RBI single by Echevarria, which scored Degnan after he led off with a single through the left side. Moss retired Columbia in 1-2-3 fashion to conclude the frame.

The hosts battled back with a five-run fifth inning on five hits and an error. Ben Fishel, Jack Kail, Anthony Temesvary and Owen Estabrook were all credited with RBIs as the Lions made it a 9-5 ballgame.

The Quakers secured some breathing room in the sixth inning thanks to Spaventa's solo home run. The junior was facing a 1-1 count prior to sending a deep fly ball over the left-field wall to grant the visitors a 10-5 lead.

Moulin took over on the hill for Moss in the bottom of the sixth frame and sent Columbia back to the dugout in order.

The contest's momentum completely shifted in the seventh inning, as the Lions tallied nine runs on five hits and an error to claim a 14-10 lead. The frame was highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Kail.

Columbia continued to have its way as the eighth inning got underway. The hosts added seven more runs on six hits to boost them to a season-high 21 runs. The final four runs were driven in by Cole Fellows' grand slam.

Penn tallied an 11^th run in the ninth inning, but reliever Evan Kleinhans allowed only two hits in the frame and secured the final out with a strikeout on Secretarski. With the loss, the Quakers fell to 8-15 on the year and the Lions advanced to 6-16.

Up Next
Penn returns to the diamond on Saturday for a doubleheader with the Lions. Game 1 is slated for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch and Game 2 begins at 3 p.m. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ and live stats will be available throughout the day.
 
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