DAHLONEGA, Ga. — The No. 2-seeded Columbus State University softball team opened the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a 9-4 victory over No. 7-seeded Augusta University on Friday at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium, improving to 34-20 overall with the win.
Augusta struck first in the opening inning, taking a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly from Kaylynn Scaffe. Columbus State answered immediately in the bottom half, loading the bases before
Nova Wright drew an RBI walk to score
Libby Buchanan. Kara
Wegienka followed with another bases-loaded walk, bringing home
Aubree Ussery to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
Columbus State added to its advantage in the second inning when Ussery lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring
Mary-Catherine Sorrell and pushing the lead to 3-1.
Augusta tied the game in the third inning after Ansley Gibson singled up the middle and an error allowed two runs to score, making it 3-3. The Cougars responded in the bottom of the frame as Sorrell reached on a fielder's choice to bring home Wegienka and put Columbus State back in front, 4-3.
The Cougars broke the game open in the fourth inning behind the bat of
Izzy Ripatti. With
Anna Waites and Wegienka aboard, Ripatti launched a three-run home run to center field, extending the Columbus State lead to 7-3.
Columbus State continued to add insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Buchanan scored on an Augusta fielding error in the fifth, and Wright followed in the sixth with a solo home run to left field to make it 9-3.
Augusta added one run in the seventh on a solo home run from Kelsea Moody, but Shears closed the door to secure the tournament-opening victory.
Ripatti led the Cougars offensively, going 1-for-3 with a three-run home run, three RBI's, and a walk. Wright finished 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI's, and a walk, while Buchanan went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Wegienka added a hit, two runs scored, an RBI, and two walks.
Hanna Deschambault started in the circle for Columbus State, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits across 3.0 innings, before
Khloe Shears earned the win in relief to improve to 18-8 after throwing 4.0 strong innings and holding Augusta to one run on two hits with one strikeout.
The No. 2-seeded Cougars will face No. 3-seeded Georgia College & State University in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinal game on Saturday, May 9, at 12:00 p.m. at Haines & Carolyn Hill Stadium.
