COLUMBUS, Ga. – Flagler College and Columbus State University split a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field. Columbus State won the opener 9-3 while Flagler rallied to win game two, 5-4.
Flagler moves to 15-34 overall and 6-16 in the Peach Belt. Columbus State is now 22-26 overall and 7-15 in conference play.
In the opener, the Cougars jumped out to an early 8-0 lead after scoring four runs in each of the first two innings. Lindsey DeFee and Kristen Carr hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning. DeFee's was a two-run shot.
Carr belted her second home run of the game, a three-run blast, in the third inning.
Hollianne Dohrn hit her third home run of the season, a two-run shot to right-center, to get the Saints on the board in the fourth inning.
Hannah Hudson added an RBI single in the sixth for Flagler.
DeFee (5-12) started and earned the win for the Cougars. She allowed six hits and three runs, walked three and struck out five. Carr pitched the final 1.2 innings.
Cali Star went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. DeFee helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 at the plate with two home runs, three runs scored and three runs batted in. Carr also hit two home runs and drove in four runs.
Mallory Allen (1-2) tossed two-thirds of an inning, allowed four runs on four hits.
Rachel Hudson (1.1 IP, 4H, 4R) and
Erin Anderson (4 IP, 4H, R) finished the game.
Dohrn went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and the home run. She scored two runs and had two RBI.
In game two, the Cougars again scored four runs in the first inning, but that was all the offense they could muster.
Flagler's
Katelynn Smith (4-10) settled in after the shaky first to toss a complete game. She scattered nine hits, allowed four runs and walked three batters. Smith retired 13 batters on ground outs.
The Saints tied the game in the fourth with the help of a pair of RBI doubles by Dohrn and
Mackenzie Conley. Dohrn drove in one with her double down the right field line and then scored, along with
Hannah Hudson, on Conley's double to right-center which tied the game.
In the fifth,
Kelli Parker reached first on a bunt single and took third on
Kayla Fuller's double to left-center. Parker was erased in a rundown as she tried to score, but Fuller was able to move up to third base.
Tori Volz singled through the right side of the infield to score Fuller with the go ahead run.
The Cougars had an opportunity to tie the game in the fifth as Star led off with a double. She was thrown out at third base when McKenzie Fagioli grounded back to the pitcher. Kailey Boone followed with a single and then both runners moved into scoring position when DeFee grounded out to first base. But Carr flied out to center field to end the threat.
Lauren Roudabush collected four singles and scored a run for the Saints. Dohrn continued her hot hitting in game two going 3-for-5 with a double, a run batted in and she scored a run.
Malloree Escue went 2-for-4 with a double and Volz went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. Parker collected two singles.
Sydney Barker (1-2) took the loss in relief. She pitched 3.1 innings, allowed six hits, one run, two walks and had three strikeouts.
Star went 3-for-4 with two doubles, drove in a run and scored another.
Flagler is scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow (April 19) at Georgia Southwestern State University at 1 p.m., weather permitting, its season finale.
