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COLUMBUS – Looking to keep ground in the Peach Belt Conference, the Columbus State University softball team swept UNC Pembroke in a doubleheader Friday at Cougar Field.

Columbus State (33-15, 13-5 PBC) got its bats going in game one winning 10-2 while coming from behind to win the nightcap 3-1.

"These were two important victories for this team," stated head coach Brad Huskisson. "I loved how we played in the first game and even though down in the second we strung some hits together. In the end we found a way to win and that's always the main goal."

CSU will close out the regular season tomorrow hosting Georgia Southwestern for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
 
Game One

The Lady Cougars had 12 hits in the opener as five different CSU players collected multiple hits.

After a scoreless first, Columbus State exploded for five runs in the second. Maddie Dodson began the scoring with a single while Elyse Ambrose drove home a pair with a double to left-center.

CSU added two more in the fourth thanks to a solo homer from Hannah Rose Corbin and a RBI single from Elizabeth Perdue. 

UNC Pembroke managed to push across two runs in the top half of the sixth, but the Lady Cougars responded with three of their own to force the mercy rule victory. Kirstin Reynolds, Paris Poston and Dodson all recorded RBIs in the frame with Dodson having the game clinching RBI-single.
 
Darby Demarest (17-5) was excellent in the circle allowing two runs in her six innings of work. She struck out nine while giving up jsut two hits.
 
Ambrose, Perdue and Dodson each had two RBIs for the Lady Cougars.
 
Game Two

UNC Pembroke jumped on Corbin early in game two as the Braves got a solo home run to lead off the second inning. UNCP threatened for more in the frame, but Corbin dug in and got a fly out and strikeout to escape further trouble.
 
CSU had runners all around the base paths in the next few innings, but were unable to score. In the second, CSU made all three outs on the bases while stranding Corbin at third an inning later.
 
In the fifth, Madisyn Brown got things going for the Lady Cougars ripping a double into the left-centerfield gap. Chandler DesRochers put pressure on the defense by laying down a perfect bunt setting up a first-and-third situation for CSU. Corbin immediately tied the game by sending a double to right-center, putting the go-ahead run into scoring position.
 
After a pitching change, Elston came through in the clutch pushing the Lady Cougars in front with an RBI-single. Perdue added an insurance run later in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
 
UNC Pembroke rallied both in the sixth and seventh, but CSU slammed the door each time. In the sixth, Elston turned a double play by grabbing a liner and throwing across the diamond to first. The Lady Braves then put two on with just one out in the seventh, but Corbin got a groundout to secure the victory.
 
Elston, Reynolds, Desrochers and Corbin all went 2-for-3 at the plate for CSU. Elson has now hit safely in 14 straight games.

Corbin improved to 10-6 on the season after throwing the complete game. The freshman allowed just the solo homer while punching out five.