Running down that 5,000m record

Another weekend has passed, and another track and field record has been passed. Baseball beat the Crimson; softball did not. Tennis continued to serve up victories. Catch the run-down from Bwog super sports fan Max Rettig.

Baseball: The Lions won both games against Harvard on the power of offense, with 12-6 and 8-2 wins. In the first game, David Vandercook collected a career-high 5 RBI, of which 4 came on a grand slam, and 1 on a double (Ike Davis had the same fortune in back-to-back AB for the Mets, but in opposite order over two games). In the second game, two stolen bases by Jordan Serena and an RBI ground-out by Vandercook set the tone for the Lions’ offense, which scored in each of the first 4 innings. Aaron Silbar had a 2-RBI game. The Lions also split a series against Dartmouth, and are now 11-15, 5-3 Ivy League.

Softball: The Lions’ offense was weak against Harvard in 2-7 and 2-6 losses on Sunday. In the first contest, the Lions had a chance to do some damage with the bases loaded, but the Crimson got out of trouble. The Lions’ only runs came on a Kayla Shimoda double. Alyssa Rodia had a 2-for-3 day, and Brooke Darling let up all 7 Harvard runs in 6 innings pitched. She is 7-6 on the season. In the second game, Shimoda hit another double to stay on fire, and the Lions took a 2-0 lead in the fifth. That lead didn’t last long; Emily Kenyon, who escaped trouble through the first four innings, finally caved in the fifth, letting up 5 runs. The Crimson scored again in the sixth to mark the final score. Kenyon’s line: 4.1 IP, 3 R, 4 H. She is 4-4, and the Lions are 14-14, 4-4 Ivy League.

Tennis: The women’s team defeated Dartmouth 6-1 to move to 3-0 in the Ivy League. Crystal Leung started, and finished, the match with strong performances. The Lions are ranked 36th in the nation.

Track: The Lions sent several runners out to Stanford on Friday and Saturday to open the outdoor season. The Lions proceeded to open the season and the record book. Waverly Neer smashed a 9-year old Columbia record; her 15:37.85 time in the 5000m got her the program record and a top-10 finish. The previous record, 15:57.44, was set by Caroline Bierbaum in 2005, and Neer destroyed it.

Waverly Neer smashing records via Columbia Athletics