DAHLONEGA, Ga.— The No. 2-seeded Columbus State University softball team fell 10-5 to No. 1-seeded University of North Georgia in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game Sunday afternoon at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, moving to 35-21 overall.
North Georgia jumped out to an early lead with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Kayla Berry drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run before Journey Roberts delivered a three-run double to left center. Chloe Poss followed with an RBI single up the middle to give the Nighthawks a 5-0 advantage.
The Cougars began chipping away in the second inning as
Ansley Collins singled through the right side to score
Mary-Catherine Sorrell and put Columbus State on the board.
Aubree Ussery cut into the deficit again in the third, launching a solo home run to left center to make it 5-2.
Columbus State completed the comeback in the fourth inning with a three-run frame.
Anna Waites doubled to left center, scoring Collins and Sorrell to pull the Cougars within one.
Nova Wright followed with an RBI double down the left-field line, bringing home Waites and tying the game at 5-5.
North Georgia answered in the bottom half of the fourth with five runs to retake control. Jenna Miles singled in the go-ahead run, Carleigh Knowles added a two-run double, and Morgan Martin capped the inning with a two-run home run to right center to make it 10-5.
Columbus State was held scoreless over the final three innings as Caroline Conner earned the win in relief for North Georgia, improving to 11-1.
Gracyn Gurley took the loss for the Cougars and moved to 0-2.
Offensively, Collins led Columbus State with a 2-for-4 performance, adding one RBI and one run scored. Waites finished 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI's, and a run scored, while Ussery added a solo home run. Wright recorded an RBI double, and Sorrell finished with a double and two runs scored.
In the circle,
Khloe Shears started for Columbus State, allowing five runs on five hits in 1.0 inning. Gurley worked 2.2 innings in relief, while
Hanna Deschambault closed the game with 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
Following the tournament, Columbus State placed three players on the Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament Team. Shears earned recognition as a pitcher, while Ussery and Waites were named to the team as outfielders.
The Cougars will now await their postseason fate, with the NCAA Championship bracket scheduled to be revealed Monday, May 11, during the selection show streamed live on
NCAA.com.
