ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite collecting six hits, the Columbia softball team was unable to push a run across against Drexel pitcher Devon Grippe, falling to the Dragons, 8-0, in six innings on Saturday at the UCF Invitational.

Senior Madison Canby (2-3) got the ball to start for Columbia (3-5) and took the loss, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and two walks, striking out a pair. Sophomore Monique Benjamin and first-year Kaia McCaul finished off the game out of the bullpen.

Offensively, the Lions were led by junior Maria Pagane, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a double. First-year Megan Ryono was 1-for-2, while Abby Stuart, Amanda Nishihira and Danielle Mandichak all each collected one hit.

Grippe (1-0) struck out four Lions while allowing those six hits and a walk, striking out four.

Columbia loaded the bases against Grippe in the fifth. Mandichak and Ryono hit back-to-back one-out singles before a muffed throw to second on a ball hit by Amber Swinarski put Lions on every base. Grippe got out of the jame by getting Pagane to ground out to third and Wetherill down on strikes.

The Lions get a rematch against Drexel (1-2) in the front end of a Sunday doubleheader. Columbia takes on the Dragons at 10:30 a.m., followed by Ball State at 12:30 p.m.