Monson's Two Homers Help Koalas Split with Carolina U

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team fell 11-6 at home to Carolina University (NC) in game one on Monday afternoon. The Koalas then rallied to win game two 6-3.

The Koalas tallied 15 hits in the first contest including 7 different players recording two-hit games. Senior SS Skyler Monson led the team with a 2 for 4 game including a monster two-run homer in the third inning. Monson also led off the second inning in game two with a solo home run to left. She now has 5 homers on the season.

Also driving in runs for the Koalas was senior catcher Katie Poole with a sac fly in the 4th, and an RBI groundout in the 5th from freshman OF Madison Knapper that cut CC's deficit to 5-4. A sac bunt/suicide squeeze in the 6th from 1B Kylie Smith then made it 6-5 before Monson tied the game at 6 with an RBI single heading to the 7th. Unfortunately, a grand slam in the 7th handed CU the victory. Carolina is 14-6 overall.

Registering two hits apiece in game one were 3B Aislyn Sharp, Poole, Monson, K. Smith, OF Hope Azurdia, Knapper, and DP Abby Smith.

Columbia goes to 13-13 with the split winning 6-3 on Kylie Smith's (6-6) complete game. Smith allowed 10 hits and 3 runs (2 earned) with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts over 7 innings. Junior 1B Autumn Hamilton's RBI double and freshman OF Taryn Martin's two-run single gave the Koalas a 4-1 lead in the 4th inning while Monson's two-run double in the 5th made it 6-1 Columbia. Smith allowed two runs in the 7th but shut down the Bears en route to the win. Smith is now batting .395 and has an ERA of 3.10.

The Koalas next hit the road to battle Truett McConnell in North Georgia this Saturday.