Koala Softball Sweeps Union

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team swept away conference foe Union Commonwealth University (Ky.) on Thursday at home for their first two AAC wins of the season. The Lady Koalas rallied from behind to defeat the Bulldogs 6-4 in game one and then dominated UC 5-1 in game two.

Game 1: CC 6, UC 4

Union jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning as they placed softly hit balls in gaps in the Koala defense to grab the advantage. Columbia, however, kept clawing back in it as two RBI groundouts from junior 2B Joni Littlejohn got CC to within 3-2 after three innings.

Columbia then took the lead in the bottom of the 4th inning on 3B Elaina Seymour's RBI double and LF Takeirra Bakken's sacrifice fly. Union then tied the game at four runs apiece in the 5th inning before junior DH Karmen Christie's RBI single scored KB Wilder. Then, sophomore catcher Reagan Kelly followed by singleing down the left field line, driving in Christie for the insurance run and plate CC to the 6-4 lead.

Senior starting pitcher Ally Boyd (2-3) then shut down the Bulldogs over the final two frames to earn the win for Columbia. The hurler allowed 10 hits and four runs (three earned) over seven innings, walking one. 

 Joni Littlejohn drove the middle of the lineup, leading Columbia with two RBI while K. Christie led CC with two hits. Freshman CF Krislyn Wilder paced Columbia with three walks, a stolen base, and three runs scored while reaching base four times. Overall, the team had patience at the plate, piling up six walks for the game. Junior SS Ashlynn Wolff and Seymour also tallied doubles for the Koalas with Seymour stealing a base as well while Wolff recorded three sac bunts.

Game 2: CC 5, UC 1

Littlejohn staked the Koalas to an early lead with her RBI single scoring Wilder while a Union error helped cause another Koala run to score as they led 2-0 after one. However, Union would settle down and climb back into the game scoring a run in the 5th to trail just 2-1 heading into the sixth inning. But then the Koalas broke the game open in the 6th with three consecutive run-scoring hits to take a 5-1 lead and go on for the win.

Wolff, outfielder Takeirra Bakken, and fellow outfielder Krislyn Wilder each recorded RBI hits in the pivotal 6th inning with Bakken's RBI double starting it off followed by Wilder's triple and Wolff's seeing-eye single. Wolff went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Columbia in hits. Sophomore 3B Elaina Seymour also recorded a double while Christie and RF Madison Cheek knocked hits as well with CC outhitting the Bulldogs 8-3.

Junior pitcher Maddie Vaughn earned the win for Columbia improving to 7-3. The starting pitcher surrendered three hits and one run over seven innings to toss a complete game, striking out four and walking three.

Columbia improves to 14-8 overall and 2-4 in the conference while Union fell to 5-15 and 0-4 in the AAC. The Koalas will remain home to host Pikeville on Saturday at 12 and 2 PM.