COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team began Peach Belt Conference with a bang, sweeping a doubleheader from ninth-ranked North Georgia Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field.

CSU (9-8, 2-0) grabbed a 5-4 walkoff win in the opener before taking an 8-3 decision in the nightcap. 

"You couldn't ask for a better start to the conference schedule than that," commented head coach Brad Huskisson. "I loved how the girls responded in game one, and we didn't let that emotional win get to our heads later in the day. The series isn't over, and we have to be prepared tomorrow because these guys are going to come here hungry."

Game One | CSU 5-4

Both teams had early run-scoring opportunities early in game one, but it was UNG who struck first. CSU started Hannah Rose Corbin found herself in a jam in the third after a leadoff walk and a single brought up UNG leadoff hitter Jolie Lester. Lester hit one back up the middle, knicking off the glover of second baseman Morgan Elston allowing two runs to score. Lester later came around to score in the frame after a passed ball and a groundout. 

After going scoreless in their half of the third, the Cougars finally got on the board in the fourth. Both Laura Harris and Madeline Parker drew walks in the inning to give Katelyn Cooper a chance to do some damage. The sophomore would deliver, shooting the ball over the centerfielder to make it a 3-1 game. Parker was thrown out at the plate on the play.

Columbus State attempted a rally in the fifth, but UNG recorded back-to-back outs with the bases loaded to stay in front.

However, the cardiac Cougars went to work in the sixth. Parker made it a one-run game with an opposite-field homer to right, while Cooper worked a walk to put the tying run on base. Needing a clutch hit, Kenzie Bayer stepped into the box and slammed a two-run shot to center to put Columbus State ahead 4-3. 

The drama continued into the seventh though as Madison Simmons tied the game on a two-out homer off of Corbin.

Needing a response, the Cougars went to work in the bottom of the seventh. Corbin was the one to get the rally started, taking an outside pitch to right field for a leadoff single. CSU played small-ball as Lindsey Patton bunted the first pitch she saw, but UNG didn't get the sure out, going to second base where Corbin snuck in safely to put two on with no outs for Harris. 

Harris sent the Cougars running out of the dugout after sending a 2-2 pitch into centerfield for the walk-off double.

Cooper (2-for-2, 2B, BB, RBI) was the lone player in the game to have two hits, while Bayer (2-run HR) and Parker (solo HR) knocked in runs for CSU.

Corbin (7-2) picked up the win in the circle after tossing the complete game. She allowed four runs on four hits while punching out five.

Delaney Heaberlin (5-4) was hit with the loss for UNG. She allowed two runs in 0.2 innings of work. Tybee Denton gave up three runs in the 5.1-inning no-decision. 

GAME 2 | CSU 8-3

Riding high from its game one victory, Columbus State jumped all over North Georgia in the nightcap. After Haylee Folds stranded two UNG runners on in the first, the first four Cougar hitters reached base, including Corbin picking up an RBI-single that scored Catilyn Canady. North Georgia would then turn to Kristen Davis in the circle, but she didn't have any better luck as Morgan Elston hit a towering grand slam to put the Cougars in front 5-0.

CSU came right back in the second to grab a 6-0 lead on Corbin's second-run scoring hit of the day. The junior knocked in Canady for the second time in as many innings after lining a double into deep left field.

North Georgia (14-8, 0-2) finally broke through in the third after Madi Perry legged out an infield single. However, Folds worked out of a jam to keep the Cougars in front 6-1.

The Nighthawks' best chance of a rally came in the fifth as Olivia Sinquefield began the frame with a double to right-center before Mariah Wicker traded places with her teammate with a double of her own to make it a four-run game with one out in the inning. Folds would find herself in a bases-loaded jam after a walk and a Perry single to left. 

Huskisson made the call to the bullpen and brought in Jessica Lopez, hoping to slam the door shut on the rally. The first batter she faced was  Hannah Forehand, who sent Canady to the track for a sacrifice fly to pull UNG to within 6-3. Lopez plunked Georgia Blair to reload the bases, but she escaped the dangerous situation after getting a flyout. 

The Cougars immediately got one run back in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out rally. Harris drew a four-pitch walk before Elston picked up her fifth RBI of the game on a double.

After two more UNG runners were stranded in the sixth, Bayer closed out the scoring with a solo homer over the left-center wall.

Lopez retired North Georgia in order in the seventh to secure her first save of the year. Lopez tossed 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit. Folds (1-2) grabbed her first win of the year, scattering eight hits over 4.1 innings. She surrendered three runs in the outing. 

Canady (2-for-4, 2 SBs, 2 runs), Corbin (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, R) and Elston (2-for-3, grand slam, 5 RBIs) all had two hits for the Cougars.

Sinquefield had a 3-for-4 day at the plate in game two for North Georgia.

Heaberlin took the loss after not getting an out in her start. Davis threw better, allowing four runs (three earned) in six innings of work.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will look for the three-game sweep of North Georgia on Sunday. First pitch is at noon at Cougar Field.