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By: Stephen Williams

COLUMBUS – Playing in the first of two home tournaments this season, the Columbus State University softball team picked up a split of its doubleheader on Saturday. The 2017 Cougar Classic is being played at Cougar Field.
 
Columbus State (6-2) fell 6-0 to West Florida in game one, before bouncing back for a 10-2 victory over Albany State in the nightcap.
 
"Hats off to West Florida in game one," head coach Brad Huskisson said. "Their pitcher was excellent tonight. She did a great job keeping us off balance all day.
 
"It was good to see the girls rebound in the second. I thought we had a good approach at the plate and it showed on the scoreboard."
 
Columbus State will play the same two teams on Sunday as the Cougar Classic continues. The Lady Cougars will play at 3 and 5 p.m.
 
Game One
 
Saturday's opener belong to West Florida, as Columbus State failed to get on the scoreboard and was limited to just three hits.
 
The Argos struck for a pair of runs in the second and fourth innings and added single runs in the third and sixth.
 
McKenzie Fagioli and Kia Smith tallied CSU's first two hits in the fourth inning, but the Lady Cougars left both runners on base. Calli Star added another knock in the sixth after a Keeli Waugh walk, but again UWF was able to work its way out of trouble.
 
Darby Demarest (1-1) took the loss for the Lady Cougars after giving up three runs in three innings. Helen Snavely allowed three runs as well, as the freshman closed out the final four.
 
Game Two
 
The second game of the day got off to a poor start for the Lady Cougars as Albany State struck first for a pair of runs in the top of the first.
 
Columbus State responded well however, answering back with three of its own. Star, Fagioli and Smith all reached to load the bases, and Elizabeth Perdue laced a two-run single into left to tie the game.
 
Later in the inning, a throwing error on a steal attempt brought home Smith as the go-ahead run.
 
After a 1-2-3 second inning for Harley Dawson, the Lady Cougar bats went to work again. Johanna Beyer was hit by a pitch and stole second, and Star promptly unloaded for a two-run homer to left to make it 5-2.
 
The offense kept rolling in the third, started by Perdue's one-out double. After Kayleigh Briant walked, Brittany Mitchell picked up a RBI single and Savanna Turvy drove home two with a double to chase the Albany State starting pitcher.
 
Waugh later added to the CSU lead with a two-out triple.
 
Columbus State needed just one run in the fifth inning to end the game early. A single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs and Fagioli walked the Lady Cougars off with a deep fly to right-centerfield.
 
Dawson (1-1) earned her first collegiate victory, allowing just the two runs over five innings.
 
Fagioli, Perdue and Mitchell all had two-hit showings at the plate. Eight of nine Cougar starters scored at least one run.