The first in-conference games of the season were played this weekend, beginning with a double-header against defending Ivy League champs the Dartmouth Big Green. Dartmouth beat Columbia in a three game playoff series last year to decide the conference championship. Could Columbia send a message on Saturday by upsetting their rivals?

Top of the first, first batter up, Dartmouth's Joe Sclafani goes yard. Chris O’Dowd would also hit a solo homer in the inning to go up 2-0 early. Top of the second now, runner on first, Sclafani again with the RBI triple to take a 3-0 lead. Columbia would narrow the deficit in the bottom of the third, after Alex Godshall doubled to start the inning, followed by some excellent small ball. Columbia pitcher Pat Lowery would begin to settle in, and fanned eight Dartmouth hitters through six and a third.

Both teams benefited from some impressive defensive play. Bottom of the sixth same score, runners on first and second when Dartmouth pitcher Kyle Hunter balked, advancing the runners to second and third, which led to this: Alexander Aurrichio with the base hit to drive in two, Columbia takes the lead. Top of the seventh, Lowery looking to finish Dartmouth off, gets the first batter, but then struggles and gives up a walk and a single. Brett Boretti lifts him, brings in Tim Giel to close things out. On the very first pitch, Jason Brooks, who went three for four in game 1 delivered with a three run jack.

Columbia would go quietly in the bottom of the inning and Dartmouth would go on to win 6-4. Game 2, more of the same early, first inning Chris O’Dowd hit another homer, this one brought in two. Bottom second, Cole Sulser dominated, striking out the side. The rest of the game was all Dartmouth, scoring runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Columbia could barely muster up any offense at all, and the Lions lost game two 8-1. They wrapped up this weekend with a double-header against Harvard and then will go on the road to play Rutgers on Wednesday and Brown and Yale in doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday respectively.