COLUMBUS - For the first time in 2020, the Columbus State University softball team is above .500 as the Cougars swept a pair of games on the opening day of the Red, White, & Blue Classic. The tournament is being held at Cougar Field on the campus of CSU.

The Cougars took down Erskine 11-8 in the afternoon before a 4-2 victory in the nightcap against West Alabama. With the two wins, Columbus State improves to 9-8 on the year following a 1-5 start. 

"It's nice to finally get above that .500 mark, but it doesn't do you any good if you come to the field tomorrow satisfied with two wins already on the weekend," said head coach Brad Huskisson. "We need to close out the tournament strong and with two more wins."

"We strung the bats well, and Caitlyn [Canady] was on the base paths nonstop today. "Things are going in the right direction."

vs. Erskine 

In a game that featured 19 runs, 22 hits, and seven errors, the Cougar offense was able to outlast the Flying Fleet after scoring a run in every inning. CSU scored two or more runs in four frames, including a three-spot in the fifth.

Erskine plated two in the first thanks in part to a CSU error, but the lead didn't last long. Morgan Elston and Elyse Ambrose both had one-out singles before a wild pitch put both in scoring position. An error, this time by the Flying Fleet, allowed both Cougars to score to tie things at two.

Emily Holmes drove in a run in the second while two more in the third put Columbus State ahead 5-2. With two out and two on, Caitlyn Canady hit a grounder in the hole at second. Faith Belue was able to grab and throw to first, but the freshman legged out the hit. Elston easily scored, but Ambrose never stopped on the play as she rounded third and scored giving Canady a two-run infield single.

Things fell apart in the fifth for Columbus State. Down 6-2, the Flying Fleet strung together three singles to score a pair of runs before a two-run blast over the left-centerfield wall by Shi Cain tied the game at six. A walk, single, and a fielder's choice gave Erskine a 7-6 lead.

Erskine (3-14) didn't help itself in the bottom of the fifth. After helping CSU get a leadoff runner on base via an error, the Flying Fleet was pressured by two Cougar runners on the basepaths as Paris Poston stepped to the plate. The sophomore laced a single right back up the middle to score pinch-winner Madisyn Brown before an errant throw allowed Canady to score all the way from first to put the Cougars ahead 8-7. Maddie Dodson made it 9-7 after a sacrifice fly. 

After Erskine added a run in the top of the sixth, CSU scored two more to help put the game away in its half of the frame. Canady picked up her third hit and RBI with an infield single. 

Canady (1-0) also picked up a win in the circle for Columbus State. She helped CSU starter Harley Dawson out of the fifth-inning jam by retiring two of the four batters she faced. Hannah Rose Corbin tossed the sixth and seventh innings to record her first save of the year.

Dawson allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits over 4.1 innings. 

Poston (2-for-4, two runs, 2B), Dodson (2-for-2, RBI), Elston (2-for-3, two runs) all joined Canady with multi-hit games.

vs. West Alabama

Both West Alabama and Columbus State had plenty of run-scoring chances on Friday, but neither side was able to find the clutch hit. 

After CSU stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, West Alabama quickly filled them with runners of its own against Corbin with just one out in the third. The sophomore dug deep though, recording back-to-back strikeouts to escape unharmed.

In the fourth, the Cougars were finally able to breakthrough. Parker drew a leadoff walk before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Paige Vincent. Following a Canady single, Poston was the one to break the shutout as she ripped a single through the left side of the infield to score a pair. 

CSU continued the attack with infield singles by Holmes and Mary Horne to load the bases for the second time in the game. Unlike the previous situation, Columbus State was able to capitalize with Elston working a full-count walk to force home the third run of the inning.

West Alabama did a good job of limiting the damage in the fifth. Back-to-back walks to Parker and Vincent, and then a wild pitch, had the Cougars in business with no-outs. However, only one was able to score on a Canady groundout to keep UWA alive.

The first four Tigers reached base in the sixth allowing West Alabama to get one run back. With the bases still loaded, it was Corbin's turn to work magic once again. Thanks to two grounders and a flyout, Corbin allowed just one additional run to score maintaining the Cougar lead at 4-2 heading into the seventh.

Corbin didn't leave anything up to chance in the seventh striking out the side on 15 pitches. She improved to 4-3 on the year in the two-run, one earned, complete-game effort. The righty punched out eight.

Canady was the lone Cougar with a two-hit game going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Poston (1-for-3) drove in two. 

Up Next

Columbus State will close out play in the Red, White, & Blue Classic on Saturday with two more games. The Cougars will first play Lynn at noon before taking on Erskine at 4 p.m.

Cougar Notes & Trends

• Columbus State is 9-3 over its last 12 games.
• At Cougar Field this season, CSU is 8-2, including three straight wins.
• In the two games, Canady was 5-for-7 with four RBIs and two runs scored. The freshman has three straight multi-hit games after going 2-for-3 in the final game against Wingate last weekend.
• While in the circle in Columbus this season, Corbin is 4-1 with a save. In 35 innings of work at Cougar Field, she is averaging a strikeout per inning with a 2.00 ERA. She has won her previous four decisions. 
• The Cougars tied their season-high in hits with 11 against Erskine.
• West Alabama and Columbus State combined to leave 20 runners on base. CSU stranded nine. 
• Poston has hit safely in seven straight games. 

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