Koala Softball Splits Tight Series at Truett

CLEVELAND, Ga. - The Columbia College softball team split their series with a quality AAC foe in Truett McConnell University (Ga.) on the road Saturday afternoon in North Georgia. Truett squeaked out a 1-0 win in game one before the Koalas came back to steal game two in extra innings, 3-2.

Game 2

Sophomore outfielder Hope Azurdia broke a scoreless tie in the 7th inning with her leadoff home run to give CC a 1-0 lead. It was her 4th of the year. Senior starting pitcher Kylie Smith who had pitched a shutout for 6 innings looked to close out the Lady Bears but Truett scratched across the tying run in the bottom half on an RBI single to send the game to extras.

The 9th inning saw the teams trade runs again with Smith's RBI groundout scoring freshman outfielder Taryn Martin, who had pinch ran for senior catcher Katie Poole when she singled to get on base. Truett then loaded the bases in the bottom half and tied the game on a bases loaded walk from Smith. However, CC would go back on top in the 10th with back to back sac bunts as sophomore RF Ruthie Roman's sacrifice drove in freshman UT Abby Smith for the 3-2 lead. K. Smith then closed out the Bears in the 10th to improve to 7-6 on the season with 41 strikeouts and a 2.89 ERA. Poole and senior outfielder Mary-Catherine Sanders led Columbia with two hits apiece.

Game 1

In game one, the Koalas were held to just five hits as they could not push any runs across against TMU starter Kyleigh Sanders. Junior 1B Aliyah Crawley led the offense with a double while Sanders and Roman each singled and a stole a base in the defeat. Koala senior starter Meghan Dennis (5-5) pitched very well also allowing just one run on an RBI double in the third while giving up 6 hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Columbia improves to 14-14 on the season and 8-6 in the conference. CC will next go on the road to Carolina University (NC) on Wednesday for a 1 Pm DH.