ROME, Ga. - The Columbus State University softball team split a pair of games with Shorter University on Wednesday, April 13. The Cougars won the opening game 8-4, then came up short in the seventh inning of game two, losing 6-7 to the Eagles.

Columbus State is now 20-20 and Shorter improves to 6-36.

GAME 1: CSU 8, SU 4

Jessica Lopez (4-6) earned her fourth win inside the circle for the Cougars after pitching five innings, striking out five and allowing four runs.

Columbus State scored six runs in the first three innings to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead over the Eagles. In the first, Caitlyn Canady singled and stole second base to start the inning off. Paige Vincent hit Canady in from second thanks to an RBI single up the middle. 

With bases loaded and two outs in the second, Canady delivered again but this time with a two-run RBI single up the middle, plating Morgan Elston and Laura Harris.

It was Elston and Harris who had back-to-back hits in the third to give CSU the 6-0 lead. Elston ripped a base-clearing two-run RBI double down the left field line and advanced to third base on the throw attempt home. Harris followed up with an RBI single through the left side to score Elston.

Shorter rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring four runs off of five hits, including a two-run RBI double by Hope Short.

The Cougars added two more runs in the seventh thanks to a Vincent RBI groundout and a pinch hit RBI double to left field from Brooke Miller.

Elston led CSU going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBIs and one double. Canady and Harris each added two hits.

GAME 2: SU 7, CSU 6

The Eagles got on board early, scoring one run in the bottom of the first and not scoring again until the fifth. Carlee Graham smacked a three-run homer in the fifth to put Shorter ahead 4-0 over the Cougars.

CSU tied the game in the sixth thanks to a Madeline Parker solo home run to give the Cougars some energy. CSU then rallied to score more three runs, including an RBI double to left center field from Kenzie Bayer and a Lindsey Patton two-run RBI single through the left side.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Eagles jumped on CSU pitcher Taylor Currie, loading the bases and capitalizing off of walks and errors to make it a 7-4 ballgame.

CSU tried to rally back in the top of the seventh with four walks in a row to begin the inning with an easy run. With one out, Harris hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center to score Hannah Rose Corbin, making it 7-6. The Cougars couldn't plate another run after that.

Currie (0-2) earned the loss inside the circle after allowing three runs. Parker, Corbin and Bayer each posted two hits.

UP NEXT

Columbus State will prepare for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series with Georgia Southwestern starting Friday, April 15 at 6 p.m. in Americus, Ga.