Behind enemy lines: Columbia baseball coach Brett Boretti

While Penn is in a one-game playoff for its first Gehrig Division title in seven years, the Quakers will need to get through last year’s Ivy champions, the Columbia Lions. The Lions are led by coach Brett Boretti, who spoke with the Daily Pennsylvanian about the upcoming playoff this weekend.

Daily Pennsylvanian: With this one-game playoff, your team is turning to senior pitcher David Speer. How important is it to have an experienced pitcher on the mound who had success against Penn last weekend?

Brett Boretti: Dave’s been [the number one] guy for us the last couple years and he’s a veteran. It’s a new game. He had a good outing last week but it’s a new game so we’ll have to do the best job we can. Penn has a good lineup; they proved that over the weekend. We’ve got our work cut out.

DP: Last year in the postseason, you had some "all-hands on deck" situations including against New Mexico with Joey Donino pitching almost seven innings in relief? Is this going to be the same type of game where you will turn to anyone if necessary?

BB: It’s definitely all hands on deck. We don’t play another game for another week. We’ve got plenty of time for the guys together.

DP: Despite being a freshman, Will Savage has had a big role in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. What can you say his impact has been?

BB: Will has worked hard. He’s somebody that has continued to progress throughout the season. He’s a very good athlete. He’s got tremendous upside with the future ahead of him but the biggest thing is that he’s been able to keep his head on all year and stay within himself. He’s done a great job competing every time he’s been in the lineup.

DP: With the presumed starters Speer and Penn junior Connor Cuff , both guys have been pitching in seven inning parts of doubleheaders this year. How different will the nine-inning playoff be for those two?

BB: I think for both of them, that’s why we play a good nonconference schedule: to prepare for that situation and I don’t think it really makes a difference for either of them. They’re gonna give their best effort and give each of their teams as much as they can

DP: Your team entered division play down three games to Penn but went on a 15-game win streak. How were you able to harness that momentum and roll through Cornell and Princeton among others?

BB: It’s a credit to our guys and their mental toughness as far taking it one game at time and finding ways to put good games together. We didn’t talk a whole lot about the win streak as it was going on. It was something we reflected on after it was done. In baseball, you try to have a short memory with the games that you play. You take out from the games what you can correct and do better and move on to the next task. It says a lot about our guys to be able to do that one game at a time.

DP: What were your takeaways from this last weekend against Penn with it being a roller coaster of a series?

BB: It’s two evenly matched teams . As I said, I think Penn has had a very good year and Johnny Yurkow has done an awesome job there. Their veterans have taken a lot of motivation from what coach and his staff are doing. They’ve got a really good offense and they’re playing really good baseball, so it’s gonna be a good game. It’s going to be a good setting, this Ivy League playoff atmosphere. It should be a fun day.