COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team dropped the final game of the 2019 Cougar Classic Sunday afternoon falling to Union 5-2. The game was played at Cougar Field.

After tossing a perfect game against the Bulldogs a night ago, Columbus State allowed a pair of runs in the second and fifth before Union added an insurance run in the seventh.

The Lady Cougars managed just five hits, but had plenty of scoring opportunities stranding 11 runners.

"We had our chances, but we just couldn't come up with the clutch hit today," said head coach Brad Huskisson. "We made some young mistakes, and that is going to happen when you are playing so many fresh faces. The key is learning from it and moving on to become better players."

In the second, Union began the frame with three consecutive hits, including an RBI double that scored the first run of the game. After Hannah Rose Corbin punched out a hitter, a grounder to second made it 2-0.

CSU got one of the runs back in the third with one swing of the bat as Elyse Ambrose hit her first collegiate home run over the left field wall. 

The Bulldogs came back in the fifth with a long ball of their own. With a runner on first, Kaitlyn Kelley launched a two-run shot to right putting Union on top 5-2.

Running out of outs, the Lady Cougars put together a rally. Corbin worked a one-out walk before Mary Horne was hit by a pitch. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two outs, Union's defense made a blunder. Pinch hitter Harley Dawson hit a dribbler to the pitcher, who bobbled the ball and tossed an errant throw allowing Corbin to cross the plate. However, pinch runner Madisyn Brown tried to score all the way from first on the play, but was tagged out at the plate to retire the side.

After Union added an insurance run in the seventh, CSU was able to bring the tying run to the plate in its final at-bat, but a popup ended the threat.

Ambrose was the offensive star going 3-for-4 with the homer. Kirstin Reynolds (1-for-3) and Morgan Elston (1-for-4) were the only other Lady Cougars who recorded a hit.

Corbin (0-2) took the loss allowing four runs over 4.1 innings. Darby Demarest tossed the final 2.2 innings in relief allowing one run.

Columbus State will play two final games at home before going back out on the road. The Lady Cougars will host Miles for a doubleheader on Wednesday, Feb. 20 beginning at 2 p.m.