Walk it Off! Walk it Off! Koalas Sweep Lions

COLUMBIA, SC- The Koala Softball team dramatically picked up two much-needed conference victories over the visiting Bryan College Lions on Thursday night with not one but two walk-offs.

The wins push Columbia up to an even 11-11 on the season and 2-8 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play, while the Lions fall to 7-14 overall and 5-5 in AAC play.

GAME ONE:
The Lions built a 5-0 lead in the first four innings while holding the Koalas scoreless, thanks to the long ball. Bryan hit a solo home run in the second and then a three-run shot in their next at bat.

Columbia finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, tallying three runs to chip away at the lead. However, the Lions would again play long ball in the sixth, ultimately holding a 6-4 advantage heading to the bottom of the seventh.

In their final chance to bat, the Koalas got runners on base, and the rest was history.

Madison Lee delivered an RBI single to left field, resulting in an error; on the play, Rachel McMillan and Jordan Kennedy came around to score while Lee made it all the way around to third base.

In the next at-bat, Hope Azurdia was brought on to pinch hit... in her only plate appearance of the game, she delivered, hitting a line drive right back up the middle to score Lee and take game one.

GAME TWO:
In the second game of the day, Bryan again started hot with seven runs in the top of the second. The Koalas would then hold them off the board while taking a 9-7 lead with some timely small ball.

The Lions wouldn't go down quietly, though, as they finally found a groove at the plate and tied things up in the seventh. Columbia saw a chance to win in regulation but could not bring the run around to score.

Bryan stayed hot at the plate and took a one-run lead in extras. Without flinching, though, the Koalas did what they had all day and answered.

With two outs and two runners on, Madison Hearn delivered the biggest hit of her afternoon. She brought Lee in to score with a line drive to left-center field, advanced Madison Wadford to third, and made it to second herself on the throw to the plate.

In the next at-bat, it was Kiley Bridgmon's turn to play hero, and she did just that. Bridgmon shot the ball into right field on the first pitch she saw to give the Koalas the much-needed sweep.

UP NEXT:
Columbia returns to action tomorrow afternoon (3/17), hosting Brenau with the first pitch moving up to 1 p.m. due to rain in the forecast.