CSU Softball Wins One, Drops Two in Saturday Action at Charger Chillout
Decatur, Ala. -- Columbus State started the day at the Charger Chillout on Saturday with a win over Maryville College, but fell to Northern Kentucky and then saw top-ranked Alabama-Huntsville pull out a 6-5 win in the final game of the day. CSU is now 4-4 on the young season.
In the opener against Maryville, freshman Kori Waugh got the pitching start but lasted just one inning after giving up six hits and six runs. She was relieved by Jennifer Isasi who went 3.1 innings and allowed three runs. Kristi Bullard came on to pick up the win with 3.2 innings of relief in which she fanned eight hitters as the game went to an extra frame.
Morgan Staffins, who went 4-5 in the game with three doubles, knocked in the tying run in the seventh with a double to knot the score at 9. She also doubled home a run in the eighth, but the big hits were Waugh's two-run double and Bullard's two-run double off the left field wall as CSU went back-to-back-to-back with two-baggers.
In addition to Staffins, CSU got two hits each from Christie Thompson, Bullard, Rocky Hemmer, and Waugh.
Against Northern Kentucky, CSU ran into a buzz saw in pitcher April Ehlers. Ehlers tossed a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts as the Norse took an 8-0 win. Briittni McCall suffered the loss in the mercy-rule game shortened to five innings. McCall allowed four runs on five hits in three innings. Brittany Leverett had the only CSU hit, a single.
In the final game of the day against UAH, CSU jumped out early with three runs in the first inning, all coming on a three-run Kristi Bullard homer.
After the Cougars allowed a single run in the fourth, they added two more in the top of the fifth to extend the lead to 5-1. Bullard againt accounted for both runs as she raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer after the UAH centerfielder's diving attempt at her line drive came up empty.
The Chargers plated two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 5-3 and then got two more in the sixth to tie the game. Whitney Schrimsher's double to left-center was the game winner as she scored Audrey McClanahan.
Bullard was 2-3 with a pair of homers and five RBI, while Thompson also added two hits as CSU collected seven hits as a team. Bullard also suffered the loss on the mound, allowing four earned runs with nine strikeouts.
CSU faces Arkansas Tech and Delta State on the final day of Charger Chillout on Sunday.
