COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team opened up Peach Belt Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of USC Aiken on Thursday. The games took place at Cougar Field in Columbus.

CSU (14-9, 2-0 PBC) took the opener 9-1 before a 3-0 shutout in game two. 

"This was an outstanding day for us," commented head coach Brad Huskisson. "Our pitching was fantastic, and we did a little bit of everything at the plate."

Game One

After a two-out double put USC Aiken (16-9, 0-4) in front in the first, Columbus State quickly tied things up in its half of the inning. A Caitlyn Canady walk and a Morgan Elston single put the first two batters on to begin the inning, but Caroline Cockrell nearly worked herself out of trouble by retiring the next two hitters she faced. However, it was the Cougars turn for a two-out hit with Paige Vincent singling to left to score Canady.

Hannah Rose Corbin struck out the side in the second while the Cougars bats went back to work. Just like the first, a walk and single got everything started. Following a Canady single that loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly off the bat from Elston put CSU ahead 2-1.

With Corbin cruising, Columbus State put the game away with a four-spot in the fourth. Elston drove in her second run of the day with a double before a high, towering two-run home run from Elyse Ambrose gave the Cougars a 5-1 lead. A fielder's choice drove in the fourth run of the frame.

Columbus State scored two in the fifth opening the possibility of a mercy-rule victory. In the sixth, Maddie Dodson just missed out on an opposite-field homer to right, but the ball caromed off the wall allowing Dodson to race to third for a triple. Mary Horne walked the Cougars off by poking a single to right to give CSU the 9-1 win.

Corbin was in control over her five innings of work to pick up her sixth win. The sophomore struck out nine while allowing just four hits. Harley Dawson struck out the side in her lone inning in the circle.

Canady was a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk. Elston (2-for-3, run, 2B) and Ambrose (2-for-3, two runs, HR) both dove in a pair.

Game Two

The Corbin show continued in game two. The righty tossed four hitless innings racking up four more strikeouts to improve to 7-3 on the season. The only true trouble she was in came in the first as two walks and an error loaded the bases. However, Corbin struck out Kathleen St. Peter to leave the bases loaded.

The momentum carried over into the bottom half of the first with Canady singling to center before swiping second. Elston ripped a 2-0 pitch down the left-field line to open the scoring. Later in the frame, Madeline Parker made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. 

The Pacers put two on in the third via a walks, but Corbin worked her way out of the situation.

With one swing of the bat in the bottom of the third, Ambrose put CSU ahead 3-0 with her second homer of the night.

Dawson entered the game in the fifth striking out the first two hitters she faced before USC Aiken broke up the no-hitter with a single. In the sixth, the Pacers had two in scoring position after a fielding error, hit batsman, and a wild pitch. However, Dawson punched out Hanna Hyder with a 2-2 pitch to keep USCA off the board.

A leadoff single didn't lead to anything in the seventh for the Pacers as they fell to 0-4 to begin conference play.

Columbus State managed just four hits in the game. Canady (1-for-3, run, SB), Elston (1-for-3, 2B, run), Ambrose (1-for-3, HR), and Horne (1-for-2) all hitting safely.