VALDOSTA, Ga. – Columbus State softball traveled to South Georgia to take on Valdosta State (Ga.) on Wednesday evening for a non-conference.
The Lady Cougars (24-18) fell to the Blazers (22-13) in the doubleheader, falling 7-0 in game one and 5-3 in game two.
Columbus State 0, Valdosta State 7
Columbus State struggled in the first game after a lengthy weather delay pushing back the start time nearly two and half hours. The Lady Cougars produced just two hits while giving up two errors as well.
The Lady Cougars left a pair stranded in the top of the first with a wild pitch third strike on
Gracyn Gurley and a walk from
Holly Lynn. Valdosta State followed with two hits and four runs in the bottom half of the first frame while a two-run homer in the second moved the Blazers to a 6-0 advantage in the second inning.
CSU eventually found a hit in the top of the fourth off Lynn's bat, but that was all that happened in the inning to remain in a six-run deficit. Valdosta State added one additional run in the bottom half of the fifth with a solo homer to lead 7-0. The Lady Cougars found another hit with
Nova Wright's one-out double in the sixth, yet she was left on base to close the inning and become the final hit of the game between either team.
Quick Hits
- VSU led 4-2 in total hits.
- Wright notched her ninth double of the season which was her 35th hit as well.
- Julianna Franklin pitched for 3.0 innings and received the loss to move to 12-9 on the season, allowing six runs on three hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
Columbus State 3, Valdosta State 5
The Lady Cougars improved offensively in the second game, gathering seven hits as a team. A lead-off homer from Gurley opened the game in the first inning while
Madison Norrell notched a single also.
After CSU left a pair stranded in the second inning, Valdosta State eventually got on the board in the bottom half of the inning with scores on an error, an RBI hit-by-pitch, and a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead. The Blazers would go on to take a 5-1 advantage in the third inning with a lead-off homer of their own followed by an RBI single in a four-hit inning.
In the top of the sixth, Columbus State would record hits from Wright and
Aubree Ussery. Wright led the inning off with her 10th double of the season before being driven in on Norrell's sacrifice fly to move the score to 5-2. A lead-off homer from
Ella Hopper in the seventh would cut the CSU deficit to two runs, and despite another hit from Wright, the Lady Cougars left two runners on as they fell 5-3.
Quick Hits
- Both teams garnered seven hits apiece.
- Wright led with two hits and a run scored.
- Gurley knocked out her fourth homer of the season while Hopper recorded her first.
- Khloe Shears and Lily Miller split duties, pitching 3.0 innings apiece.
- Shear received the loss to move to 2-6 on the season after giving up all five runs on seven hits, one walk, and a strikeout.
Next Up
- Columbus State hosts USC Beaufort this for Alumni Weekend, opening the series on Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
