The Alternative Press

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – The Columbia Cougars varsity baseball team defeated the Bloomfield Bengals 6-1 on Wednesday at Underhill Field.

Cougar senior pitcher Jimmy Murphy controlled the game from the first pitch, cruising to his third win of the season with a complete game four-hitter.

“He was in control, he’s got three or four different pitches and usually he can get at least three for strikes,” Columbia head coach Larry Buschio said. “At least today I didn’t think we were getting the curve ball much, as far as the umpire calling it early in the game, but he was pretty much in command of all his pitches.”

Offensively, both teams were held scoreless until the fourth inning.

In the top half of the inning, Murphy got into his first inning of trouble. After a lead-off single, shortstop Louis Kraham bobbled a ground ball to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Murphy induced a ground out on a failed bunt attempt and threw out the runner going to third for the first out.

After striking out the next hitter, Murphy got a ground ball to Kraham who completed the play to first base and ended the inning.

The Cougars responded in the bottom of the fourth. Brendon Clark reached base after being hit in the head by the Bloomfield pitcher. His pinch runner stole second base then advanced to third on a ground out to the second baseman.

The next Cougar hitter, Jake Pomper, singled to left field to score the game’s first run and give Columbia the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cougars added four more runs to break the game open.

After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, Murphy lined an RBI double down the left field line to give Columbia the 2-0 lead.

Clark followed with a two-run single to right field. The Cougars cruised to the end of the game.

Murphy, who is being recruited by several NCAA Division 1 programs including Marist College, finished with seven strikeouts, including one in every inning but the seventh.

Columbia improved their season record to 3-8.

“We lost two extra-inning games, a couple of one-run games, a 4-2 game, so we’ve been right there,” Buschio said. “We’re young. Jimmy’s a senior and he’s been kind of carrying us, but the rest of the team, we have some sophomores and a couple of freshman playing, so we’re learning and they’re getting better.”

Tim LeCras is participating in a hyperlocal journalism partnership between The Alternative Press and Seton Hall University's Department of Communication & The Arts designed to give students real-world experience.