Softball's Late Rallies Not Enough against Johnson

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia College softball team rallied in both games of their doubleheader with Johnson Universiyt on Friday afternoon but ultimately came up short falling 8-5 in game one and 11-3 in game two.

GAME 1

JU got out to a fast start in game one running out to a 6-0 lead on three singles, an error and a home run after three innings knocking out Koala senior starter Meghan Dennis after 2 and 2/3 innings as she allowed 6 runs (5 earned) on 7 hits. The Koalas would then rally over the next two innings scoring three runs in the fourth on sophomore 1B/2B Aliyah Crawley's first home run. A two-run single from senior 1B/P Kylie Smith in the 5th inning then trimmed the Royal's lead down to one run at 6-5. CC then left the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the 5th as they lined into an inning-ending double play.

Johnson would add two late insurance runs off soph reliever Kynsly Gehling to pull ahead for the 8-5 win. Gehling kept the Koalas in the game as she tossed 3 and 2/3 innings of middle relief allowing 5 hits and one earned run with 2 walks and a strikeout.

Crawley finished 2 for 3 with 3 RBIs while soph LF Hope Azurdia also tallied two hits with a double to lead the offense. However, nine different Koalas recorded hits in the game as senior infielders 3B Aislyn Sharp, SS Skyler Monson, and 2B Brooklyn Franco each recorded a base knock. Outfielders Ruthie Roman and senior CF Mary-Catherine Sanders also recorded hits while senior catcher Katie Poole and Smith were the others. Smith has 20 RBIs on the season and is hitting .364.

GAME 2

A pitcher's duel develeope din game two with the teams teid at 2 apiece through 5 innings. However, Johnson got to Koala starter Kylie Smith in the 6th inning scoring 4 runs to take a 6-2 lead. JU then added 5 more in the 7th off two Koala relievers. Smith falls to 7-7 allowing 6 runs on 9 hits on a walk and 2 Ks over 5 and 2/3 innings. 

Sharp had two more hits in game two as she is now htting .354 on the season and leads the team with 25 runs scored while Sanders was 3 for 3 with two runs scored and is hitting .355. Azurdia knocked a two-run single for the offense in the 5th that tied the game at two while Poole added an RBI single in the 7th as well.

The Lady Koalas fall to 14-16 with the losses and 8-8 in the AAC. Johnson improved to 12-10 overall and 11-3 in the conference.

The Koalas return to action on Tuesday making the cross-town trip to face rival Columbia International in a 4 PM doubleheader.