COLUMBUS,Ga.—The Hawks traveled to Columbus State University for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday where the Cougars took both games from the Hawks with final scores of 6-2 and then 4-3 in the second game.
The Hawks will fall to 4-7 overall while Columbus State will improve their overall record to 10-4.
Game 1
The Cougars shut the Hawks down real quick in the top of the first and came ready to score in the bottom of the first. Hannah Corbin started off the inning by drawing a walk from Hawks pitcher Madison Pettigrew. Next up a single from Katelyn Cooper advanced Corbin to second then a fielder's choice from Morgan Elston advanced Corbin to third base. Then Corbin scored the first run of the game to make it 1-0. In the bottom of the second the Cougars struck again and scored another run across the plate, 2-0. The Hawks put up their first run on the board in the top of the third with Anslee Anderson starting off the inning with a single to right center then Angela Cecere did her job and laid down a sac bunt to advance Anderson. Next up, Sydney Poston singled down the right field line to score Anderson, 2-1. The Hawks continued to hack away at the dish in the top of the fourth when Payton Tuder scored from a foul out by Kaylee George. Columbus State added another run to the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when Corbin stole home to take the lead again, 3-2. But the Cougars didn't stop there and kept scoring with a double from Kirstin Reynolds that scored two runs to take the lead to 5-2. Then Pettigrew walked in a run, 6-2. Both teams were kept scoreless from the fifth inning on and the Cougars took the win of game one.
Batting leaders for the Hawks included Kiera Dudley who went 2-2 while
Poston, Anderson and Izzy Kinard each added in one hit.
Game 2
The Cougars came out in the bottom of the first with a sac fly from Elston which scored Caitlyn Canady to score first, 1-0. Columbus State kept it up in the bottom of the second when Maddie Dodson singled to right center to score Laura Harris, 2-0. In the pitching dual, the Hawks and Cougars were able to keep both teams from scoring from the top of the third to the start of the bottom of the fifth. Corbin homered to centerfield, 3-0. The Hawks came out in the seventh inning to tie it up. Cecere sparked the inning with a single to third base, then Carlee Graham walked to score Kinard. Next up Kaylee Combs reached on an error to score Tuder and Poston to tie the game up 3-3. In the bottom of the seventh the Cougars needed one run to win the game. With two outs Lindsey Patton came in clutch with a single down the right side to score Canady with a walkoff win.
Dudley lead the Hawks by going 2-4 while Cecere, Tuder, and George all added in one hit.
Shorter will return back into conference play on Friday, March 5th at home against West Georgia at 5p.m.
