COLUMBUS - In the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs, freshman Lindsey Patton delivered a walkoff RBI single up the middle to give the Columbus State University softball team the 6-5 win and sweep over Spring Hill College. The nonconference doubleheader took place at Cougar Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Cougars advanced to 20-9 overall, while Spring Hill fell to 12-10.

GAME 1: CSU 8-0 (5 innings) 

In the opener, Columbus State run-ruled SHC 8-0 in five innings. Starter Hannah Rose Corbin earned her 10th win in the circle as the second-year sophomore improved to 10-4.

The Cougars rushed to a 3-0 in the top of the first inning off of two hits and one fielding error. After three consecutive walks to begin the inning, Paige Vincent hit a fielder's choice ball to the shortstop which scored Caitlyn Canady, however, a fielding error by the first baseman allowed Katelyn Cooper to score from second base. A few batters later, L. Patton ripped an RBI double to left-centerfield to score Vincent.

Maddie Dodson extended CSU's lead to four in the third inning thanks to an RBI single up the middle, scoring Morgan Elston who doubled to left-center to begin the inning. The Cougars kept things rolling as the runners capitalized on Spring Hill's fielding mistakes. With bases loaded, Cooper hit a two-run RBI blooper to right field but a throwing error by the right-fielder allowed Canady to score from third base making it a 7-0 ballgame.

Columbus State ended the game early in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single up the middle from Canady, scoring Madeline Parker.

Canady went a perfect 3-for-3, while Elston was 2-for-3 with a double and L. Patton, Laura Harris and Emily Holmes all hit a double. Katelyn Cooper collected two RBIs and went 1-for-2.

GAME 2: CSU 6-5 

Game two was a bit more challenging for CSU as Spring Hill strung together some hits and runs. 

The Cougars took the early 3-0 lead again in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out rally. With two outs and two back-to-back walks, Canady hit a hard ball through the left side to score Parker from second. It was then Cooper who delivered a two-run double to right center, scoring Harris and Canady.

The Badgers responded as SHC tied things up in the third. With two outs and bases loaded, a run scored on a throwing error to first base by CSU's catcher, trying to pick off the runner at first. Ashley Ortiz made it 3-3 after hitting a hard ball up the middle, which ricocheted off of pitcher Caitlyn Canady's glove allowing two more runs to score.

Spring Hill carried this energy into the top of the fourth as the Badgers took a 4-1 lead. With a runner on second, Delaney Thomas smacked an RBI single down the right field line.

Columbus State was able to tie the game at four in the fifth. With runners on first and second, Elson hit a ball to the shortstop which lined up perfectly for an SHC double-play to end the inning. However, Spring Hill's first baseman dropped the ball on the play, making Cooper safe at home.

The teams weren't giving up in the final one-and-half innings as CSU took a 5-4 lead in the sixth thanks to an RBI single from Harris. Just when CSU thought they secured the sweep, the Badgers quickly loaded the bases in the seventh and were able to tie the game off of a throwing error by the third baseman, trying to get the runner out at home. CSU got out of the terrorizing inning to send them into their final at-bats.

After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, L. Patton came up big for the Cougars as the true freshman ripped a walkoff single up the middle to score Kristen Odum from second base, making the final score 6-5.

After coming in for relief, Corbin earned the win in the circle and improved to 11-4, while starter Hannah Brenton fell to 6-4.

Cooper led the Cougars going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Corbin was walked six times in the doubleheader, increasing the total times she's been walked this season to 46.

UP NEXT

The Cougars will head to Dahlonega, Ga. on Friday, April 9 for a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader against the University of North Georgia. The first pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.