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By: Stephen Williams

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Columbus State University softball program reached a major milestone with its split at Georgia College on Thursday evening. The Peach Belt Conference doubleheader was played at the Peeler Complex in Milledgeville, Ga.
 
Columbus State (21-18, 5-7 PBC) won the opening game 7-4 before falling 5-1 in game two. The opening victory marked the 1,000^th win in program history.
 
"We played well today, especially in the first game," head coach Brad Huskisson said. "Georgia College is a good team and it is always tough to beat them on their field.
 
"It's also great to reach 1,000 wins as a program. That just speaks to the quality and history of this program and all of the players and coaches that have been a part of it."
 
The Lady Cougars will be back at home on Saturday as they host USC Aiken. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Cougar Field.
 
Game One
 
It was the Columbus State freshmen that played a massive role in the opening game, starting in the first inning. Kia Smith worked a one-out walk and stole second base before freshman Kayleigh Briant drove her home with a two-out single to give the Lady Cougars the early advantage.
 
Georgia College (29-11, 6-6) answered with a run in the bottom half of the first and then took its only lead of the game in the third at 2-1.
 
The Lady Cougars took the lead right back though. Briant led off the fourth with a double and fellow freshman Elizabeth Perdue singled behind her. Keeli Waugh tied the game at two with a sacrifice fly. A second CSU run came home thanks to a GC error and Lee Anne Rees made it a 4-2 game with another sacrifice fly.
 
Briant kept her strong game going in the fifth, singling home Smith for the second time on the day to extend the lead. After a pitching change, Perdue doubled in Briant to stretch the lead to four.
 
Following a rain delay of just over an hour, Smith capped the Lady Cougar scoring in game one with a double that brought home Katie White.
 
Columbus State had 10 hits in the game, three of which came off the bat of Briant. Perdue and Smith picked up two hits as well.
 
Freshman Peyton Sorrells (10-5) added another victory to her tally after allowing three runs over six innings of work.
 
Game Two
 
Five straight scoreless half-innings started the day's second game as Hanna Manley picked up four strikeouts in her first two innings.
 
Georgia College finally broke through in the bottom of the third with a two-out, run-scoring single. The Bobcats then added on with two more in the fourth.
 
Waugh opened up the CSU fifth with a walk and Kailey Boone reached on an error. After a walk for Jessica Siggers, Rees came up with her second sacrifice fly of the doubleheader to get the Lady Cougars on the board. However, it would turn out to be the only run of the game for CSU.
 
GC put the game away with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.
 
McKenzie Fagioli had two of CSU's four hits in the second game.
 
Manley (7-7) gave up three runs over four innings of work, picking up five strikeouts.