Boxscore (Game 1)

Boxscore (Game 2)

ST. AUGUSTINE − Columbus State University came in and swept a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader over No. 21 (NFCA/Division II Top 25) Flagler College Thursday night at Saints Field. Columbus State won the opener 4-3 in 10 innings and took game two 5-3.

Columbus State ran its win streak to three games and improved to 20-6 overall and 5-1 in the Peach Belt. Flagler fell to 22-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

Morgan Staffins paced the Lady Cougars offense with a pair of home runs, both proved to be game-winning hits. She also hit a double in the doubleheader and scored four runs. Kara Gordon singled three times for Columbus State. 

Lauren Ely (Winter Springs, Fla., Winter Springs HS) led Flagler with three singles.

The first game was a 10-inning marathon as Staffins socked a solo home run in the top of the 10th to provide the winning margin.

The Lady Cougars held a 3-0 lead until the Saints rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. After Sarah Albino (Adelaide, Australia, Florida State College-Jacksonville) drew a one-out walk, Robyn Draper (Brampton, Ontario, State College of Florida) reached first on a base-hit bunt back to the pitcher, and when the throw to first went down the first base line, Albino scampered to third. Ely singled to left which scored Albino. A double-steal put runners at second and third and Alona Personius (Lake Stevens, Wash., Florida State College-Jacksonville) placed a squeeze bunt to score Draper. With Albino at third, Columbus State pitcher Kristi Bullard (8-3), who had started the game, came on in relief of Courtney Darr. She was charged with an illegal pitch which sent Albino home to tie the game.

Bullard tossed 8.1 innings, allowed two hits and struck out eight batters to earn the win.

Keely Kennedy singled twice and drove in a run for the Lady Cougars. Bullard went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Gordon singled twice and Staffins went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two runs scored.

The Lady Cougars stranded 12 runners on base.

Donna Munafo (Satellite Beach, Fla., Brevard CC) (4-2) pitched all 10 innings, surrendered nine hits, two earned runs and fanned eight.

Ely singled twice, scored a run and drove in another for the Saints.


Columbus State 4, Flagler 3 (Mar 10, 2011 at St. Augustine, FL) (Game 1)
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Columbus State...... 011 010 000 1 - 4 9 1 (19-6, 4-1 PBC)
Flagler............. 000 003 000 0 - 3 4 1 (22-5, 1-2 PBC)
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Battery: Columbus State - Kristi Bullard; Courtney Darr(9) and Casey Googe. Flagler - Donna Munafo and Robyn Draper.
Win-Kristi Bullard(8-3) Loss-Donna Munafo(4-2) T-2:46 A-92
2B CS – Morgan Staffins.
HR CS - Kristi Bullard (4); Morgan Staffins (3).
Weather: 66; cldy.; w: 15 mph l-r


In game two, it was Staffins again with a home run. She belted a two-run shot over the left-center field fence to give Columbus State a 5-3 lead.

The Saints scored three runs in the bottom of the first. Breezy Collings (Orange City, Fla., Brevard CC) hit a two-run double to left-center.

The Lady Cougars answered in the top of the second with a pair of runs. Rocky Hemmer doubled into the left-field corner, which scored both runners.

Columbus State tied the game in the fifth on an infield single by Nina Rubio.

Kelsey Gilliam (5-2) tossed seven innings and scattered seven hits, allowed two earned runs and fanned three.

Five different Lady Cougars had a hit.

Kalyn Loverich (St. Johns, Fla., Bartram Trail HS) (9-2) tossed a complete game and allowed five hits, four earned runs and struck out six batters.

Tori Jolley singled and doubled for the Saints. Personius, Collings and Lauren Bessent (Jacksonville, Fla., Trinity Christian Academy) all hit doubles.

Flagler hosts Georgia Southwestern State University on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saints Field.


Columbus State 5, Flagler 3 (Mar 10, 2011 at St. Augustine, FL) (Game 2)
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Columbus State...... 020 012 0 - 5 5 2 (20-6, 5-1 PBC)
Flagler............. 300 000 0 - 3 7 2 (22-6, 1-3 PBC)
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Pitchers: Columbus State - Kelsey Gilliam and Casey Googe. Flagler - Kalyn Loverich and Robyn Draper.
Win-Kelsey Gilliam(5-2) Loss-Kalyn Loverich(9-2) T-1:45
2B CS – Casey Googe; Rocky Hemmer.
2B FC – Alona Personius; Breezy Collings; Tori Jolley; Lauren Bessent.
HR CS - Morgan Staffins (4).