CSU Softball Splits First Two Games at UAH Charger Chillout

Decatur, Ala. -- Columbus State took a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning against North Alabama in its second game of the day at the UAH Charger Chillout on Friday, but a pair of errors and a misplayed ball in the outfield led to three runs and UNA went on to a 6-2 win. The Cougars took a game one win behind the hitting of freshmen Branigan Wix and Kori Waugh, defeating Southern Indiana 4-2.

In the opener, Britni McCall carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and went on to allow just two hits and one earned run in five innings of work. Jennifer Isasi pitched the final two innings and allowed a solo homer, but still earned her second save of the season in the 4-2 win.

Wix singled and stole second in the first inning for CSU came home with the first run on a squeeze bunt by Carrie Jones for a 1-0 lead. She got things started again in the third inning as she walked, went to second on a Christie Thompson sacrifice, moved to third on a passed ball and then scored on a Kristi Bullard groundout to make it 2-0.

Wix then knocked in the final two runs in the seventh with a single. Bullard led off the inning with a double, followed by Rocky Hemmer reaching on an error. Waugh then singled to center to load the bases and Wix delivered her two-run single to make it 4-0.

Wix and Waugh led the CSU offense with two hits each, while Bullar and Hemmer each added a double.

In the nightcap, Bullard helped her own cause by blasting a two-run homer to left field in the fourth inning. She was cruising to that point in the circle and suffered the hard-luck loss after her defense let her down in the fifth.

UNA pulled ahead with three unearned runs in that fateful fifth as Brittany Leverett made a throwing error and Christie Thompson a fielding error. Bullard should have been out of the inning with no damage, but the errors kept the inning alive and then a misplay of a flyball resulted in a bases-clearing double to give the Lions a 3-2 lead. UNA then added three more in the sixth on a three-run homer.

Bullard was the only CSU player with two hits in the game as the Cougars had five hits as a team.

CSU gets back in action on Saturday with three games, facing Maryville, Northern Kentucky and then top-ranked Alabama-Huntsville at the Charger Chillout.