COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team lost a pair of games on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field in non-conference action against Auburn University Montgomery.

AUM (4-0) took the opening game 4-2 before grabbing a 7-4 victory in the finale. 

"We didn't have our best performance out there today, especially playing at home," said head coach Brad Huskisson. "We have to be more consistent in the circle and stop putting ourselves in early holes. The good thing is that we get a chance to redeem ourselves tomorrow against Emannuel."  

GAME 1 (AUM 4-2)

After Columbus State (4-4) starter Hannah Rose Corbin retired the side in order in the first and second innings, AUM got on the board in the third. A leadoff single followed by a sacrifice bunt put the Warhawks in business before an Olivia Aycock single made it 1-0. 

The Warhawks continued their momentum into the top of the fourth with three solo home runs from Molly Cobb, Jaycie Walker and Gia Martin to give AUM the 4-0 lead.

After each team stranded a pair in the fourth, the Cougars were able to tighten things up in the fifth and sixth. Three straight singles from Corbin, Caitlyn Canady and Morgan Elston loaded the bases for Columbus State. Elyse Ambrose earned a full count walked pushing home Corbin to make it 4-1. However, a double play ended the Cougar threat. 

In the sixth, CSU strung together two more singles to bring the tying run to the plate. Katelyn Cooper would come to the plate and lace a single to left-center to pick up an RBI to inch CSU closer.

AUM failed to add on in the seventh, but no insurance runs were needed as Alanna Goble pitched a perfect inning to record the save.

Elston (2-for-4) and Paige Vincent (2-for-3) led Columbus State with two hits while seven different AUM players found a hole.  

Bailey Barnes (1-0) got the win in the circle tossing six innings. Corbin (1-2) allowed four runs and struck out eight in the complete game. 

GAME 2 (AUM 7-4)

The Warhawks struck first again, this time in the second, as Martin hit a two-out, two-run home run off of Harley Dawson. An inning later, it was 4-0 AUM after a Cougar error on a double steal allowed a run to cross the plate. Following the error, Kathryn Fallen put the ball in play to score Allie Miller.

The Cougars cut the lead in half with one swing of the bat in the fourth. Elyse Ambrose hit her first homer of the year, a two-run shot over the centerfield wall to score Elston, who doubled to lead off the inning.

After Columbus State stranded a runner in the fourth, AUM got a crucial two-out double from Martin in the sixth to extend the lead to 5-2. 

In CSU's half of the inning, Elston continued to the long ball trend as she cranked a solo homer to left-center.

AUM shook up the Cougars in the top of the seventh when Aycock and Miller forced a rundown between first and second, and third and home as Aycock scored all the way from second on a bunt single. Seconds later, Miller scored from second off of a wild pitch from Dawson to make it 7-3.

Columbus State wasn't going to stop fighting with the Cougars making things interesting in its final at-bat. A two-out error by AUM allowed pinch-runner Kirstin Odum to score before Elston drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. However, Brinkley Yevak got a groundout to secure the win.

Elston (2-for-3, 2B, HR, 2 runs, RBI) picked up two more while Ambrose was 2-for-4 with a two-run blast. 

Martin led the Warhawks to victory as she nearly hit for the circle, going 3-for-3 with a single, double and triple.

Harley Dawson (2-1) was hit with her first loss of the season while Goble got the win. Dawson allowed seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits. 

The Cougars are back in action at Cougar Field tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 21 in a doubleheader against Emmanuel College. First pitch is at 1 p.m.

Tweet #GoCSU