Henseler shines as Penn takes down top seeded Columbia in Ivy League Tournament

Penn knocked off Columbia on Friday in the Ivy League Tournament. | PHOTO: Penn Athletics

Fourth-seeded Penn surged with seven runs in the final three innings on Friday, defeating top-seeded Columbia 8-4 in Game 2 of the Ivy League Tournament at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium in New York City. 

 

The Quakers (21-22) advance to the winner's bracket and will face third-seeded Cornell on Saturday at 3 p.m. after the Big Red's earlier victory over Princeton. The host Lions (26-17) will play in an elimination game against the Tigers on Saturday at 11 a.m. 

 

Five different Penn players had multi-hit games, including freshman Gavin Collins, who went 3-for-5. Wyatt Henseler, Davis Baker, and Ryan Taylor each went 2-for-5, while Nick Spaventa contributed with a 2-for-4 performance. 

 

Penn carried a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning before Columbia scored four runs to take the lead. Henseler hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, narrowing the gap, and Taylor followed with a game-tying RBI double. In the eighth, Henseler drove in the winning run with a single to left, and the Quakers added three more runs for insurance. 

 

Cole Zaffiro pitched six innings for Penn, allowing four runs on four hits, walking four, and striking out nine. Carson Ozmer earned the win with three stellar innings, giving up just one hit. 

 

The winner of Saturday's game between Penn and Cornell will earn a chance to compete for the Ivy League's automatic bid on Sunday.