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Stephen WilliamsHICKORY, N.C. – The Columbus State University softball team fell in a pair of games on Sunday. The games were played at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C.
Columbus State (10-7) rallied in the opening game before coming up just short in a 9-7 loss against King and then suffered just its second shutout of the season 5-0 to Catawba.
The Lady Cougars travel to Pensacola, Fla. for a doubleheader against West Florida on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
Game One Sunday's opening game didn't start accordingly for the Lady Cougars as King (1-7) had its first five batters reach in the bottom of the first inning. In total, KU sent 10 to the plate, picking up three hits and scoring five runs.
It didn't take long for the Lady Cougars to erase the deficit, getting all five runs back in the third.
Elizabeth Perdue started the frame off with a single and
Kayleigh Briant moved her to second with a bunt. After a
Katie White walk,
Kia Smith singled to load the bases with only one out.
Calli Star then brought home the first CSU run with a sacrifice fly.
With two down,
McKenzie Fagioli doubled in a pair of runs and
Kailey Boone knotted the game at five apiece with her second home run in as many days.
King retook the lead with a solo home run in the bottom half before adding two more in the fourth and one in the sixth.
The Lady Cougars made things interesting in the seventh, putting the tying run on. Smith started the inning with a one-out walk. Down to the final out, Fagioli singled home Smith to keep the rally alive.
King then committed back-to-back throwing errors, bringing another run across the plate. With the tying runs on base, a groundout cut the comeback effort short.
Fagioli led the offense, going 2-for-4 with three runs driven in and two runs scored.
Hanna Manley (1-2) went four innings in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits.
Sydney Barker gave up just one run in two innings of relief work.
Darby Demarest started for the Lady Cougars.
Game Two The second game for the Lady Cougars on Sunday was controlled by Catawba (10-0) starting pitcher Carly Tysinger.
Tysinger held Columbus State without a base runner until the seventh inning when White was hit by a pitch and Star broke up the no-hit bid with a single to centerfield.
Cougar starter
Peyton Sorrells (5-2) kept the Indians bats at bay, giving up just three runs in five innings of work. Catawba then added two more in the sixth against the Lady Cougar bullpen.
