March 15, 2011
Columbus State Softball Defeats Fort Valley State 10-2 (6 innings)
Fort Valley - The Columbus State softball team used a five-run fifth inning to break open a 3-2 game as they went on to beat Fort Valley State 10-2 in six innings Tuesday afternoon at Lady Wildcat Field. CSU improves to 23-6 on the year while FVSU falls to 3-10
Both teams got on the board early as Columbus State scored three runs in the first two innings while the Lady Wildcats posted their only two runs in the first frame.
Branigan Wix led the game off with a walk and advanced to third base via a stolen base and a wild pitch. After a groundout, Wix crossed home plate on a Casey Googe sacrifice fly. Kori Waugh was hit by a pitch, Morgan Staffins singled up the middle and Kara Gordon loaded the bases drawing the third walk of the inning. Morgan Knight drove in Waugh with a single and the Lady Cougars missed out on adding to the lead when Kristen Gregory's line drive was snagged by the shortstop for the final out of the inning.
Back-to-back singles by the top two hitters in the FVSU lineup put runners on first and second and the pair moved up into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Brittany Brown and Jemecki Hall both scored on wild pitches to knot the game at 2-2 after an inning of action.
CSU wasted no time to retake the lead as they posted another run in the top of the second inning. After a groundout, Wix drew her second free pass of the game and Kennedy reached on a fielder's choice. Googe delivered again smacking a double in the left-centerfield gap plating Wix while Kennedy moved up to third base. Confusion on the base paths cost the visitors a big inning as a double-play on a flyout to the ensuing batter ended the frame.
Columbus State had a base runner in each of the next two innings but was unable to capitalize until they erupted for a five-spot in the fifth inning.
Waugh singled to centerfield and Staffins walked to begin the frame. After a strikeout, Knight knocked in her second run of the game with a single up the middle and moved up to second on the throw in from the outfield. Gregory loaded the bases with a walk before Courtney Darr helped her own cause ripping a bases clearing triple in the left-centerfield gap. Darr would later score on a RBI groundout by Wix.
In the circle, Darr settled down after a shaky start to work five innings surrendering just the two first inning runs. She allowed six hits and a walk while striking out two. Jennifer Isasi pitched a perfect sixth inning to close out the ballgame.
Knight was the offensive force in game one going 4-for-4 at the dish driving in two runs and scoring once as well. Waugh was 2-for-3 at the plate while Googe, Gordon and Darr all drove in multiple runs.
Jessica Buchanan was the lone Lady Wildcat with a multi-hit performance going 2-for-2. Brown and Hall were both 1-for-3 and scored a run apiece as well.
