Softball Drops Heartbreaker 1-0 at Rival CIU

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker down the road at crosstown rival CIU Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Koalas also fell 8-0 in Game two against the Lady Rams as well.

In game one, senior starting pitcher Ally Boyd threw a terrific game allowing 7 hits and just the game-winning run in the 7th inning on a sacrifice-bunt and stolen-base play while walking two over 6 and 1/3 innings as she fell to 2-7 on the year. CIU's Tristan Phillips led off the 7th with a single while she then stole second base and advanced to third on a sac bunt before scoring the winning run on a suicide squeeze.

Offensively, DH Karmen Christie and freshman outfielder Krislyn Wilder led with one hit apiece while junior SS Ashlynn Wolff and outfielder Takeirra Bakken each reached base twice via walks. Wolff and 1B Ashlyn Blackstone also recorded a nifty double play in the 3rd inning to help get the Koalas out of a one-out bases loaded jam.

In game two, CIU scored six runs in the first inning off Koala starter Maddie Vaughn (7-6) scoring on an error and a walk with the bases full followed by a two-run single and a wild pitch. CIU added two more runs in the third while holding the Koalas to just four hits over 5 scoreless innings to clinch the win.

Vaughn tossed two innings allowing six runs on five hits while walking four and striking out two. Sophomore reliever Madison Cheek then finished the game, throwing two scoreless innings, walking just one and allowing no hits. Leading the Koalas offensively was A. Blackstone with two hits while Boyd and Wolff also recorded singles in the game. CC had their best chance to score in the 4th inning when Boyd and Blackstone singled with one out but Bakken unfortunately grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Columbia falls to 16-16 overall and 4-12 in the conference while CIU improves to 23-9 and 6-6 in the AAC. The Koalas will now return home to host Milligan on Saturday in a 2PM doubleheader.