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By: Stephen Williams

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – For the fourth consecutive doubleheader, the Columbus State University softball team earned a split after dropping game one 4-2 and winning the finale 6-4 at Montevallo on Saturday night. The Peach Belt Conference games were play at the UM Softball Stadium at Orr Park.
 
The Lady Cougars moved to 18-13 on the season and 4-2 in conference play.
 
Columbus State's next games will be on Friday night as the Lady Cougars welcome defending national champion North Georgia to Cougar Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
Game One
 
Saturday's opener was a low-scoring affair with just one run scored through the first five innings.
 
Montevallo (13-18, 4-2 PBC) scratched the only run across in the second on a leadoff home run.
 
In the sixth, Columbus State's top of the order finally got rolling. Katie White was hit by a pitch to start the frame and she then swiped her third base of the night. Kia Smith and Calli Star followed with singles to load the bases and McKenzie Fagioli delivered. The sophomore singled into left field to bring two runs across the plate and surge the Lady Cougars in front.
 
Montevallo struck right back though, tying the game with a one-out double and taking the lead on a two-run homer.
 
The Lady Cougars then went down in order in the seventh to give the Falcons the win.
 
All six CSU hits in the game belonged to the top four hitters in the order, led by Fagioli and Smith with two.
 
Peyton Sorrells went three innings in the circle to start the game, allowing one run on three hits. Sydney Barker (4-4) took the loss, giving up three runs in 2.1 innings.
 
Game Two
 
The nightcap required another Lady Cougar comeback as the Falcons pushed two runs across in the bottom of the second inning.
 
CSU was held off the scoreboard for four innings, but the floodgates opened in the fifth.
 
Lee Anne Rees got things going with one out reaching on an infield single. White added a single behind her, but a groundout left the Lady Cougars with two runners on and two outs in the inning. Star came through in a big way though, doubling to left-centerfield to tie the game at two apiece.
 
After a pitching change, the offense kept chugging along. Fagioli walked and Kailey Boone put Columbus State ahead with a RBI single. Montevallo didn't help its cause, dropping a fly ball that allowed two more runs to score. Keeli Waugh capped off the six-run inning with a run-scoring single giving the Lady Cougars more than enough runs to work with.
 
The Falcons put a run up in the sixth and then threatened in the seventh. UM got a two-out run on a wild pitch to pull within two and loaded the bases. However, Barker came out of the bullpen and needed just three pitches to record the final out and preserve the victory.
 
Hanna Manley (6-4) gave up three runs in six innings of work to earn the win. Barker tallied her first save of the year recording the final out.
 
Eight of the nine CSU starters picked up a hit in the second game, led by Boone's 2-for-4 game.