COLUMBUS – Columbus State softball welcomed Flagler (Fla.) to Cougar Field on Friday for a doubleheader to continue Peach Belt Conference action.
The Lady Cougars (24-15, 5-6 PBC) dropped both games to the Saints (24-9, 9-2 PBC), struggling to finish off comeback efforts.
Game One | Columbus State 3, Flagler 4
The visitors struck first with runs in the first and second frames for a 2-0 lead. Columbus State responded in the bottom of the second with one hit and a run scored off an error to cut the deficit in half. CSU was knocking on additional runs in the third with a single from
Holly Lynn and
Nova Wright placing two on. Unfortunately, CSU left a pair stranded to close the inning.
The Lady Cougars leveled the game in the bottom of the second with hits from
Rylie Beddingfield and
Mary-Catherine Sorrell getting things started before eventually bringing a run in on a wild pitch to equalize the game at 2-2.
Nothing would happen in the following two innings as Flagler would eventually take a 4-2 advantage in the top half of the seventh with a fielder's choice and an error on the same play scoring a pair. A solo homer from
Gracyn Gurley pulled the deficit back to one run, but that would be the only production CSU's offense would muster as the Saints slipped away with a 4-3 victory.
Quick Hits
- Gurley gathered her third homer of the season as one of eight CSU hits for the game.
- Wright notched two hits to lead the team as CSU led 8-7 in overall hits.
- Flagler gave up five errors while Columbus State recorded three.
- Julianna Franklin pitched the entire game, giving up one earned run on seven hits, two walks, and two wild pitches.
- Franklin recorded four strikeouts.
Game Two | Columbus State 0, Flagler 3
Despite falling behind 8-6 in overall hits, CSU's offensive woes were evident in the second game. The Lady Cougars struggled to finish innings and ended the day with a 3-0 defeat in game two.
The Saints produced three hits to score in the top half of the second inning for a quick one-run lead. Columbus State would go on to leave two runners stranded in the bottom of the fourth as Wright notched a double and Sorrell recording a single.
Flagler took advantage of a lead-off single followed by a wild pitch, a walk, and a fielder's choice to score one of two runs in the seventh inning. The Saints would follow with yet another fielder's choice to push in the third and final run to win 3-0. Columbus State threatened in the seventh with a single from Beddingfield, but that was not enough.
Quick Hits
- Sorrell led game two with two hits with four others notching hits.
- Khloe Sears pitched for 5.1 innings and received her fourth loss of the season (2-4), allowing one earned run on seven hits, four walks, and three strikeouts.
- Lily Miller closed the final inning and two-thirds, giving up two earned runs while walking one and striking out one.
Next Up
- Columbus State closes the series versus Flagler tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET at Cougar Field.