Lady Koalas Drop Close Battles at TWU

ATHENS, TN - The Columbia College Softball team dropped two close battles on the road at conference foe Tennessee Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon at the Athens Regional Park.

Game 1: TWU 2, CC 1

A walk-off left Columbia College on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat to Tennessee Wesleyan in game one on Sunday. The AAC matchup was tied at one in the bottom of the seventh when TWU singled, scoring one run.

Tennessee Wesleyan (2-3, 2-0 AAC) opened the scoring in the fourth scoring one run. In the sixth, junior DH Karmen Christie hit a sacrifice fly to drive in one, as senior outfielder Lana Hampson scored helping Columbia tie the game at one in the top of the sixth.

Freshman pitcher Nealy Lockner took the loss for the Koalas falling to 2-1. The righty went 6 and 1/3 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits, striking out three and walking four.

Christie led the team with one RBI while SS Ashlynn Wolff, Lana Hampson, and catcher Reagan Kelly each collected one hit for the Koalas. CC also turned one double play in the game while not committing an error.

Game 2: TW 3, CC 1

During game two, both teams were strong in the circle, but Tennessee Wesleyan was just a little bit stronger at the plate in their 3-1 victory over Columbia College. Junior pitcher Maddie Vaughn (4-3) started the game for the Koalas but took the loss going all six innings, giving up three unearned runs on three hits, striking out five and walking one. She now has a 1.75 ERA with 29 strikeouts over 32 innings and 7 games on the season.

Columbia opened the scoring in the first as junior OF Takeirra Bakken singled, driving in SS Ashlynn Wolff, as she reached base twice on a single and a walk along with a sacrifice bunt. TWU then captured the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the first on two CC errors and a missed caught stealing.

Bakken went 2-for-3 at the plate and led the team with one run batted in. Columbia turned one double play in the game as well while freshman outfielder Krislyn Wilder singled and stole a base. Wolff continues to lead the team in hits and average at .488 with 20 runs scored and 7 stolen bases.

The Koalas, now 7-7, will next head to Myrtle Beach, SC for the Fastpitch Dreams Tournament for three days facing six NCAA D-3 teams beginning Thursday at 10 AM.