DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The Columbus State University softball team dropped a tough decision against Georgia Southwestern 7-4 on Friday. The Peach Belt Conference quarterfinal took place at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium. 

Columbus State (35-16, 15-5 PBC) was ranked eighth in the latest regional rankings, and the Lady Cougars were looking to build upon that and make a potential run to the PBC Championship game for the fifth time in six seasons. 

But the Canes had other ideas bringing the power bats in the early innings. GSW hit two, two-run home runs in the third inning to get the scoring started. The two long balls knocked starting pitcher Darby Demarest out of the game after she had picked up four strikeouts in the first two innings. 

Demarest (18-6) finished with five strikeouts and only gave up three hits, but two of them proved costly as Hannah Rose Corbin entered the circle in the third inning. 

"This obviously wasn't the way we were hoping this weekend would go," said head coach Brad Huskisson. "We ran into trouble early but I'm proud of our girls for not giving up and fighting hard until the end."

The Lady Cougars slowly began to scratch their way back into the game as Maddie Dodson scored on a throwing error in the third while Kirstin Reynolds hit a sac-fly one inning later to cut the deficit in half. 

CSU would have another chance in the bottom of the fifth with runners on first and second and only one out. But a strikeout and a fielder's choice would end the threat sending the game to the sixth with Columbus State still trailing by two. 

That's when the Hurricanes would take advantage of their small ball strategy. A leadoff single and an error on a bunt put two runners in scoring position when GSW squeezed a run home on another bunt. 

After a groundout, the Canes went back to the bunt, plating two runs this time after an error compounded the CSU troubles. In all, the Hurricanes scored three runs in the inning to go ahead 7-2. 

Columbus State continued to fight in their uphill battle when they picked up back-to-back base knocks to open the bottom of the sixth. Reynolds then delivered the crucial hit, a double down the left field line to score two making it a 7-4 game. 

They'd be given one final opportunity in the bottom of the seventh when they put runners on first and second with only one out. But with the tying run at the plate, a strikeout and a flyout to center put the finishes touches on the GSW upset. 

Reynolds finished 1-for-2 with three RBI's while Perdue collected two hits and two runs. 

Corbin went 4.1 innings in relief giving up just two hits while striking out seven. 

The loss for Columbus State will force them to leave it up to the NCAA to decide their fate, with the selection show set for Monday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m.