Lady Koalas Fall 22-21 in High-Scoring Thriller on Senior Day

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team celebrated Senior Day on Friday but unfortunately dropped two one-run games to visiting Paine College (Ga.). CC fell 5-4 in game one and 22-21 in game two in a record-setting contest.

Game one saw CC fall behind 3-1 before rallying throughout the game getting to within 5-4 in the 7th with runners on 2nd and 3rd. However a groundout would end the game and give the win to Paine. Senior pitcher Ally Boyd (2-9) suffered the tough defeat as she threw all 7 innings allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 10 hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Junior SS Ashlynn Wolff led the offense with a double and two runs scored while senior CF Lana Hampson totaled two hits and an RBI. Fellow senior OF Brooke Farrell also recorded a hit with 2 RBI while sophomore 3B Elaina Seymour drove in a run in the 6th inning with a single while also walking and scoring a run. Farrell and Hampson stole bases as well.

Game two then featured a record 43 combined runs between the teams and a total of 40 hits including 22 hits by Columbia and 4-hit games from middle infielders Ashlynn Wolff and Karmen Christie. CC trailed 8-0 to Paine after the top of the first before coming back with 5 runs of their own in the bottom half. Then, after two innings, PC led 11-6 before they added four runs in the 3rd to go up 15-6. However, Columbia then continued their game-long comeback scoring six runs in the bottom half to climb to within three runs at 15-12 after three frames.

Columbia and reliever Kailee Smith then finally put up a zero in the top of the 4th while the CC offense then used RBI doubles from Madison Cheek and Wolff followed by a two-run single from Christie to amazingly erase their 8-run deficit and take their first lead of the game at 16-15 after 4 innings. However, PC came right back with three of their own in the 5th off Smith to go back up 18-16. The Koalas would then take their final lead of the game in the 5th on a sac fly and an error from Paine to lead 19-18. The teams then shockingly put up two zeros in the run column in the 6th inning leading to dramatics in the 7th.

In the 7th inning, the teams combined for six runs with Paine scoring four in the top half and three on a home run to regain the lead at 22-19. Columbia mounted a rally in the bottom half scoring on a wild pitch and passed ball, but left the tying run stranded at third base to end the game.

Wolff led the team with three doubles, four hits, four runs scored and 3 RBI while Christie also recorded four hits, a walk, two runs scored and two RBI as she reached base five times. A trio of ladies then recorded three hits apiece as Seymour, Hampson, and Cheek all knocked extra-base hits at least once with Cheek hitting three doubles and Hampson hitting a triple. Cheek also drove in three runs while Seymour, Boyd, Hampson, and catcher Jenna Holder all drove in two runs. All nine Koala starters recorded at least one hit and one run scored while the team only sturck out once at the plate all day.

Senior starter Amanda Lohrey allowed 6 hits and 6 runs on two homers in the first inning while junior pitcher Maddie Vaughn struggled with control over her 2 and 1/3 innings allowing 9 runs (7 earned) on five hits while walking seven and striking out four. Sophomore reliever Kailee Smith then came on to finish the game throwing the final 4 and 2/3 innings allowing 7 runs on 7 hits while walking five. 

The Koalas fall to 18-20 with the losses while Paine improves to 7-15. Columbia will next return to action on Tuesday when they remain home to host Montreat College in a 3:00 pm doubleheader.