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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – Playing the first two games on its home field of the year, the Columbus State University softball team swept a nonconference doubleheader against Belmont Abbey Saturday. Both games took place at Cougar Field in Columbus.

The Lady Cougars took the first game 8-3 over the Crusaders before winning 10-1 in five innings in game two.

With the two wins, Columbus State evens its record at 3-3. Belmont Abbey is now 2-2 on the season. The Lady Cougars will be back in action next weekend hosting the Cougar Classic. The three-day tournament will begin on Friday, Feb. 12 with CSU playing Bellarmine at 6 p.m. at Cougar Field.

Game One

Game one had an inauspicious start for the Lady Cougars as Belmont Abbey put a two spot on the board in the opening frame. Mackenzie Dziendziel began the game with an infield single off of Peyton Sorrells. After a groundout, Sloane McPeak took a 1-1 pitch over the left-centerfield wall to give the Crusaders an early 2-0 lead.

However, Columbus State came right back in its half of the inning as four of the first five Lady Cougar hitters reached base. Katie White, Kia Smith and McKenzie Fagioli all drew walks from Shannan Mas to load the bases for Kailey Boone. Boone delivered a single to centerfield scoring both White and Smith to tie the game at two.

Rachel Rhodes drove in the go-ahead run on a groundout to put CSU up 3-2 after one.

After Sorrells retired Belmont Abbey in order in the top of the second, the Lady Cougars platted two more run to go in front 5-2. With one out, Lee Ann Rees singled up the middle before being retired on a fielder's choice off the bat of White.

Following walks by Smith and Calli Star, Fagioli ripped a grounder down the third base line driving home a pair.

BAC got a run back in the third on a McPeak two-out RBI single.

In the fourth, the Lady Cougars put the game away scoring three more to take an 8-3 lead. Only one ball left the infield during the frame as walks loaded the bases once again for CSU. Samie Anderson, White and Smith all drew walks before Mas exited the game for the Crusaders.

With Samantha Jacobs entering the game, Star greeted her with a single to left field driving in Anderson to make it 6-3. After a strikeout, Boone put the ball in play and reached first via an error driving in another.

Rhodes delivered the final blow, legging out an infield single that deflected off Jacobs' glove pushing the score to 8-3.

Sorrells pitched out of trouble in the fifth getting a soft liner to strand the bases full of Crusaders to end her day. Sorrells improved to 2-0 after tossing five innings allowing three runs on six hits. She struck out two as well.

Sydney Barker threw the final two innings allowing just a walk.

Three Lady Cougars had two RBIs led by Fagioli's 2-for-3 day. Boone and Rhodes each drove in a pair while Smith scored three runs after drawing three walks.

Mas (0-1) took the loss allowing eight runs (six earned) on just three hits. However, she walked eight Lady Cougars.

McPeak was 2-for-3 with three RBIs for Belmont Abbey.

Game Two

Columbus State jumped on Belmont Abbey quickly in game two scoring six runs through the first two innings. In the first, CSU played small ball as White led the game off with a walk before stealing second. Smith followed with a bunt single and rounded first, drawing a BAC throw to second. On the throw, White raced for the plate and beat the throw to give CSU the early 1-0 lead.

After a sacrifice bunt by Star, the Lady Cougars put on the squeeze play as Fagioli laid a perfect bunt down in front of the plate and Smith used her speed to easily beat the throw putting the second run on the board.

It was the long ball that did the Lady Cougar damage in the second. White got the scoring started with a double that drove in Keeli Waugh, who reached via a walk. Star would clean the bases from there, launching a deep home run over the left field wall to give Columbus State a 6-0 lead after two.

The two teams exchanged runs in the third inning. McPeak hit her second homer of the day for Belmont Abbey before Waugh got the run right back for CSU in the bottom half of the frame with a RBI single up the middle.

Needing just two runs for a mercy rule victory, Elizabeth Perdue got that and more in the fourth as she blasted her first career home run down the left field line pushing the Lady Cougar lead out to 10-1.

Barker (1-1) earned the win after three innings of work allowing one run on two hits. She struck out three while issuing just one walk. Darby Demarest started the game for CSU, but pitched just the first inning.

At the plate, Fagioli was a perfect 2-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored while White and Smith each crossed the plate twice. White also drove in a run. Star and Perdue each had a three-run home run.

McPeak was 2-for-3 for Belmont Abbey with a solo homer.

Amelia Saldivar (0-1) was hit with the loss after lasting just 1.2 innings. She allowed four runs on three hits while walking a pair.