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COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team split a doubleheader against Emmanuel Wednesday, losing the first game 2-1 before rebounding in a 9-0 win in the second game. 

"It was unfortunate to watch us squander away the opportunities we had in that first game," head coach Brad Huskisson said. "We left 12 on base and kept missing on chances that we should have taken advantage of. We've got to be better in those situations and improve especially with more road conference games ahead."

Columbus State (21-10, 3-1 PBC) will hit the road for a conference doubleheader against Augusta Sunday, March 24. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Game One

The Lady Cougars had multiple opportunities to strike with runners on the base paths but were unable to deliver as Emmanuel squeaked out a win in the low scoring affair. 

It was a scoreless game until the sixth inning when Harlee Ingra hit a two-out bases-loaded double down the left field line to put the Lions in front 2-0. 

Columbus State got a chance to respond in the bottom frame as Madeline Parker hit an RBI-single with only one out to cut the deficit in half while putting runners on first and second. They were moved over to second and third after a groundout and eventually became loaded on a walk. But a soft ground ball back to the pitcher would eliminate the scoring opportunity. 

Given an extra life in the seventh inning, CSU had back-to-back two-out singles to put the tying run on second base. But a pinch-hit groundout to the shortstop would seal the fate for the Lady Cougars. 

In all, Columbus State had at least two runners on in each of the final four innings of the game, while only ending up with one run to show from it. 

Parker grabbed the lone RBI, going 1-for-3 at the plate while Paris Poston led the way with a 2-for-4 opening game. 

Harley Dawson (1-1) was one of the bright spots in the opening game, throwing a complete game with eight strikeouts for CSU.

Game Two

After missing their chances in the opening game, the Lady Cougars made sure very quickly to not let any opportunity slip by the wayside in the second game. 

CSU pounced on the Lions early jumping out to a 4-0 lead at the end of the first inning. The first three batters reached base via two walks and a HBP to load the bases with no outs for Elyse Ambrose. The freshman crushed a double into right center plating two to open up the scoring. Two more would come across on a groundout and a single from Parker to open the floodgates. 

Columbus State kept it going the next inning once again loading the bases with their top three in the lineup. Two walks and a single with only one out forced the Lions to make a pitching change with Ambrose again coming to the plate with the bases-loaded. She would draw a walk with Perdue then hitting an RBI-single to make it 6-0. A sac-fly from Poston would make it a three-spot in the second inning for CSU to jump in front 7-0. 

Peyton Sorrells (4-3) was brilliant for the Lady Cougars inside the circle throwing the complete game shutout. It was her fourth shutout of the season, as she went all five innings giving up just three hits while striking out four. 

Columbus State would tack on two more to finish the scoring from another single by Parker in the bottom of the fourth. The freshman tallied three hits and four RBI's in the doubleheader.

Ambrose would finish 2-for-3 at the plate in the second game with two runs and three RBI's. 

The top four batters in the lineup accounted for eight of the nine Lady Cougars runs in the second game.