Softball falls to SMC at Home in Regular Season Finale

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team dropped both games at home to nearby NAIA foe Spartanburg Methodist College (S.C.) to end the regular season Monday afternoon. A pitcher's duel in game one saw the Koalas' rally fall short as SMC won 4-2 while the Pioneers outscored Columbia 8-4 in game two.

G1: SMC 4, CC 2

Columbia senior pitcher Addison Warner threw 3 and 1/3 innings allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits while walking five and striking out four. She finishes the regular season with a 10-10 record, a 3.50 ERA, and a team-best 106 strikeouts over 124 innings pitched. Senior reliever Kynsly Gehling then finished out the game throwing the final 3 and 2/3 innings allowing only one run on 3 hits with a walk and a strikeout.

SMC climbed out to a 3-0 lead after four innings before the Koalas added a run in the 5th on junior DH Ally Boyd's RBI single driving in sophomore SS Ashlynn Wolff, who had three hits. Wolff then drove in a run on a double in the 6th inning to get CC to within 4-2 but, unfortunately, could get no closer the rest of the way. Wolff's three hits and a stolen base led the team while Boyd also tallied two hits including a double. 

G2: SMC 8, CC 4

Columbia was led by three Koalas that recorded two-hit games including Wolff, Boyd, and freshman 3B Elaina Seymour. Seymour drove in two runs while freshman 2B Maggie Hinz had an RBI and a stolen base as well. Wolff also scored two runs and stole two bases while outfielders Malaurie Martin and Hailie Lebiedz and catcher Taylor Perry registered hits as well.

Boyd (8-13), the starting pitcher in game two, lasted just 1 and 2/3 innings allowing six runs (three earned) on five hits walking one while senior reliever Paige Branham then came on and threw 3 and 1/3 innings permitting two runs (1 earned) on four hits and a walk. Reliever Bailey Strickland then finished out the game tossing two scoreless frames allowing just two hits. 

Columbia ends the regular season with a 19-29 record while SMC improves to 23-16. The Koalas will next have the week off before heading to Kingsport, TN next week for the start of the AAC Tournament.