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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – The Columbus State University softball team got a solid pitching performance from Darby Demarest as the Lady Cougars made two first inning runs hold defeating Catawba 2-0 to close out the CSU Classic Sunday. The tournament was played at Cougar Field.
 
Demarest tossed five innings, while Harley Dawson closed the game out as the two combined to give up just two hits.
 
"We pitched excellent today," said head coach Brad Huskission. "It was great to close out the long weekend with a win. We didn't do as well as we would have liked, but we can build off of this victory."
 
Not many batters reached base in the game, especially after the first. After Demarest pitched a clean first, CSU struck early. With one out, Keeli Waugh reached base on an error while McKenzie Fagioli used her speed to force an errant throw to put two on for Calli Star.
 
Star laced it to second where it skipped under the glove of the fielder allowing Waugh to cross the plate for the game's opening run. A batter later, Kayleigh Briant laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Fagioli to put the Lady Cougars up 2-0. Star got thrown on at third on the play to end the side.
 
From there, it was all Demarest. The righty retired nine in a row at one point before walking the leadoff hitter in the fourth. Demarest had to work around the trouble in the inning after a putting runners on second and third following a double.
 
After stranding a runner on second in the fifth, Huskission went to Dawson to close it out in the sixth. It didn't start out great as she hit the leadoff batter, but three straight outs retired the side.
 
Dawson would then throw a perfect seventh to collect her first save of the season.
 
Demarest (3-4) allowed just two hits over her five innings. She walked just two while striking out a batter.
 
Fagioli went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Briant had a RBI.
 
Columbus State will be back in action on Wednesday, March 8 hosting Palm Beach Atlantic for a doubleheader. First pitch will be at noon at Cougar Field.