COLUMBUS, Ga. — Columbus State University used a pair of multi-run innings to put a cushion the Flagler College softball team couldn't hit its way back to in a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader loss, 8-2 and 12-5, at Cougar Field Saturday afternoon.
The Saints (8-12, 2-4 PBC) now shift their focus to the next conference doubleheader when Lander University comes to Flagler Field for a pair, Friday, April 2 beginning at 3 p.m.
CSU (16-8, 4-2) took a tie score in each game and used multi-run innings —four in the third inning of the first and seven in the fifth of the second — to take the lead for good. Up until those frames, the Saints were neck-and-neck with the conference's third-best offense.
In the first game,
Mackenzie Smith led Flagler with a pair of hits as
NaJah Gerrald,
Bella Munoz, and
Kyleigh Taylor each had hits. Gerrald scored the game-opening run after she drew a lead-off walk and Taylor knocked her in. The other Saints' ran came in the second when Munoz singled down the left-field line to plate
Paige Maseda, who was walked. After those runs, the Saints were unable to string together a productive inning versus Hannah Rose Corbin (W, 7-4) to help
Kyra Gipson (L, 7-4) as she allowed eight runs — six earned — over the complete game off eight hits and the same number of walks.
In the second game, the Saints swapped runs with the Cougars through the fourth inning as they knotted it at 5-all in the fifth inning when Munoz singled in
Valerie Beltre.
Madelyn Wise (L, 1-5) tossed a scoreless fourth to keep the tie intact, but then in the fifth inning, a handful of errors took the tie and turned it into a seven-run deficit to bring in
Mallorie Sykes to replace Wise, who allowed six earned runs and walks apiece. It was a hole the Saints could never climb back out of as Corbin (W, 7-4) ame in relief to toss the final three innings for her second win.
Offensively, the Saints were better as they out-hit the Cougars 10-7 and saw a pair of home runs from Taylor and
Alyssa Velez apiece. Gerrald led Flagler with two hits as Beltre used an infield single to plate a run and Maseda used a sacrifice bunt to bring in
Mercedes Salinas, who also had a hit.
Morgan Murphy had a double while Smith and
Kirsty Granville had hits, as well.
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