HICKORY, N.C. - The Columbus State University softball team dropped a pair of games to Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday to begin the 2020 season. Both games were played at Bears Field in Hickory, N.C.
In the season opener, the Cougars fell 11-2 before a 9-7 loss in the nightcap.
"This is not how you want or expect to open the season," said head coach Brad Huskisson. "Everyone is going to have to do a better job tomorrow."
Up Next
Columbus State heads right back on the road to take on Catawba on Sunday, Feb. 2. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Whitley Field in Salisbury, N.C.
Game One
Columbus State scored in the first after two two-out walks started a rally. Maddie Dodson brought home the first run of the season with a sharp single to center to put the Cougars on the board.
The game quickly turned for Lenoir-Rhyne and the Cougars. Two hitters into the bottom of the first, LR was up as a walk and a homer greeted CSU starter Harley Dawson. In the third, two singles put runners on the corners for the Bears before a passed ball made it 3-1.
The Bears put the game to bed in the fourth thanks to a two-run homer and a two-run double. L-R added two runs in both the fifth and sixth to get the mercy-rule victory.
Elyse Ambrose provided a solo home run in the fifth for Columbus State. Morgan Elston (1-for-3) and Dodson (1-for-2) each picked up a hit for the Cougars.
Dawson (0-1) took the loss allowing five runs, four earned, in five innings.
Game Two
The nightcap was eerily similar to the first at the start. Dodson put the Cougars on top with a first inning single scoring Elston. Elston got things started with a single to left.
However, the Bears answered again in their half of the first. The first five hitters reached base against Lexy Head, beginning an eight-run frame. Three of the eight runs came via bases-loaded walks while Savannah Moorefield hit a grand slam.
Unlike in game one, the Cougars had some fight in them. Back-to-back walks from Paris Poston and Mary Horne began the second before a Lenoir-Rhyne throwing error allowed Poston to cross home. Ambrose continued to swing a hot bat making it 8-3 following a single to left.
Canady settled things down in the circle for Columbus State tossing scoreless innings in the second and third, but the Cougar defense let her down in the fourth. With two-outs, a fielding error extended the inning allowing Moorefield to do more damage with an RBI single.
Things got interesting in the fifth. Madeline Parker doubled to advance Kristen Odum to third to put the Cougars in business. Emily Holmes drew a walk loading the bases for senior JoJo Beyer. Beyer delivered, sending a shot over the left field wall for a grand slam bringing CSU within two.
After the Cougars worked out trouble in the sixth, Columbus State had one last chance for the come from behind victory. CSU did what it needed to do as Holmes and Dawson drew walks to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. However, an Elston pop-up ended the threat and the game.
Elston (2-for-4, run) and Ambrose (2-for-3, RBI) both had two hits while Beyer drove in four with the grand slam.
Head (0-1) allowed eight runs in the start while Canady allowed just the one unearned run in five innings of work.
Cougar Notes
• Elyse Ambrose was 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs in the doubleheader. Morgan Elston added three hits while Maddie Dodson had RBIs in both games.
• CSU left 10 runners on-base in game two.
• Cougar pitchers allowed 23 hits and issued 20 walks on Saturday.
• Elston has reached base in 26 consecutive games dating back to last season.
• The Cougars are now 8-11 all-time against Lenoir-Rhyne.
