The Bulldog baseball team split its second weekend of Ivy play on Sunday afternoon, maintaining its even record against Ancient Eight opponents.

On Saturday, the Elis faced Columbia in a double header that resulted in two high-scoring losses. Sunday concluded on a brighter note as they stole two games from Penn.

ANOTHER TOUGH DAY

The Elis (8-12, 4-4 Ivy) opened the weekend with a 13-9 loss and 8-6 loss to Columbia (6-21, 1-4) in their first meeting of the season.

“We didn’t play great in any facet of the game, and in Ivy League play you have to play great or find yourself at the losing end,” captain Stefan Schropp ’09 said. “We didn’t play poorly, but not enough to win.”

Columbia leapt ahead in the second, scoring seven runs despite an errorless inning by the Bulldogs. Vinny Lally ’11, the opening pitcher, was replaced mid-way through the inning by Pat Ludwig ’12 who was replaced by Chris Finneran ’10 in the third after the Lions started hitting Ludwig’s pitches and earned three more runs.

In the fourth, Yale was able to get their first point. Columbia added another run in the sixth, which Yale was able to combat with two runs scored in the bottom of the inning.

In the bottom of seventh inning, the Elis made a last-ditch effort to recoup the 13-5 deficit. Although the team managed, with help of Columbia errors, to score four runs, it was not enough to make up the difference.

The Elis lost game two of the disappointing Columbia series 8-6. Pitcher Joe Castaldi ’10 opened the game and held the Lions until the third inning when they scored a single run.

Answering back, the Bulldogs put two on the boards. Catcher Ryan Brenner ’12 walked, outfielder Andrew Kolmar ’11 singled to the pitcher, and Schropp sent the duo home with a double to right center.

Columbia bounced back with two runs, and the Elis didn’t score again until the fifth when they got one run after three solid hits.

The Lions pulled ahead in the seventh with a four run inning that Yale was unable to match despite a three-run rally in the eighth.

“I think the Columbia games were a wake up call for us,” third baseman Andy Megee ’11 said. “I mean obviously we knew we had to do well [on Sunday.]”

TURNING IT AROUND

Brandon Josselyn ’09 opened strongly on the mound for the Elis on Sunday afternoon with a strikeout against Penn (10-16, 0-4). In the bottom of the inning, Yale put their first two points on the board as Gant Elmore ’11 walked and Trygg Larsson-Danforth ’10 hit a homerun over the left field fence.

Penn pulled even in the second, but Yale quickly answered back with a three-run inning in the bottom of the second.

The Quakers scored one run in the third, but rallied to a three-run inning in the fifth that Yale failed to answer immediately. Going into the seventh, and final inning, Penn led 6-5.

In the bottom of the seventh, Elmore singled to left center, and Danforth, in his second RBI of the game, homered to left center for the two RBIs and win.

“Trygg is completely dialed in right now,” Schropp said. “He’s in his zone – untouchable when he steps to the plate.”

Yale won the second game against Penn 7-4. The Quakers opened the first inning with a single run scored. To answer, Yale’s Elmore doubled to right field and third baseman Megee followed with a single up the middle for the RBI.

The second passed scoreless, but in the third Yale was able to put five runs on the board including a three run homer by Kolmar.

Yale scored again in the sixth, but Penn failed to rally until the eighth. The team scored one run in the two-hit inning. In the ninth, Penn garnered two more runs on a two-out rally, but were unable to match the Bulldogs’ score.

“I was really proud of the way we came out today,” Schropp said. “As long as yesterday was, it would have been easy to pack it in, and it speaks to the character of this team to not give up. Now we’ve got to keep the hot bats rolling and take the momentum into Harvard next weekend.”

The Elis continue home play with a double header on Tuesday against Sacred Heart at Yale Field at 3:30 p.m.