ORLANDO, Fla. – The Columbia softball team ended its weekend at the UCF Invitational on a high note, outscoring Drexel and Ball State by a combined margin of 17-5 to earn two wins early Sunday afternoon.
 
Columbia (5-5) began the day with a, 7-4, win over Drexel (1-4). The Lions used a fourth-run fourth to take their first lead and later broke open a tie game with three runs in the sixth. Senior Amanda Nishihira delivered a crucial two-out, two-run double to bring the score to its eventual final.
 
That momentum carried Columbia to an impressive, 10-1, run-rule victory over Ball State (14-6) later that afternoon. All 10 runs came in the third and fourth innings, highlighted by a seven-run fourth that included another run-scoring hit by Nishihira. Senior Madison Canby (3-3) took the complete-game victory in the circle, tossing all five innings and allowing just a run on two hits while striking out seven.
 
Columbia's win over Ball State snapped the Cardinals' 11-game winning streak, which was the program's longest since 2010.
 
The Lions have next weekend off before returning to action in two weeks at Oklahoma State's Cowgirl Invitational. Columbia is scheduled for six games on the trip, including a matchup with the tournament host and 2019 Women's College World Series participant.
 
 
Game 1 Recap: Columbia 7, Drexel 4
Columbia's bats came through with timely hits to earn the Lions their first win of the weekend, avenging Saturday's loss to Drexel with a 7-4 victory to kickoff Sunday morning's action.
 
Offensively, the Lions were paced by junior Max Ortega, who reached base four times and went 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and an RBI. Senior Amanda Nishihira put together a noteworthy performance as well, going 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI. Columbia's No. 1-4 hitters in the lineup each drove in a run. The Lions also drew six walks from Drexel pitching.

Freshman Kaia McCaul (2-1) started and picked up her fisrt complete-game win for Columbia. The left-hander has tagged for three runs through the first two innings but settled in and worked out of trouble, giving up just one run the rest of the way as the Lions mounted a comeback. She walked just one while striking out three.

A two-run double in the second put Columbia down 3-0. The score remained the same entering the fourth inning when the Lions put their first runs on the board. A single and two walks loaded the bases with nobody out before first-year Megan Ryono hit a sac fly to drive in the first run. After a fielder's choice brought in the second run, Hailey Wetherill tied the game on a single through the left side that scored classmate Danielle Mandichak. Max Ortega gave the Lions the lead on their third hit of the frame.

The Dragons tied the ballgame at four on a two-out RBI double in the sxith before the Lions came back to re-claim their advantage. Columbia scored three runs, buoyed by a two-RBI double from Nishihira, which brought the score to 7-4 in favor of the Lions.
 
McCaul (2-1) retired the Dragons in order in the seventh to polish off the win.
 
 
Game 2 Recap: Columbia 10, Ball State 1 (5 Inn.)
Columbia needed just five innings to pick up its second victory of the day, scoring three in the third before exploding for a seven-run fourth to snap Ball State's 11-game winning streak, 10-1.
 
A leadoff home run in the second was the only damage Ball State could muster against the senior Madison Canby. She evened up her record at 3-3 on the campaign by not along a hit from the third inning on, retiring 12 of the last 13 Cardinals that came to bat while striking out seven on 92 pitches.
 
The plethora of runs started to filter in during the third inning. Maria Pagane successfully sacrificed two into scoring position and the Lions loaded the bases on a muffed throw by the second baseman. The next three batters all drove in runs as Ortega drew a walk, Grzybek hit into an RBI groundout and Stuart singled up the middle.
 
With Canby dealing, the Lions busted the game wide open in the fourth. Danielle Mandichak started the big inning with a leadoff double. Three batters later, Mandichak and Genny Soltesz were both driven in on Maria Pagane's two-run double to right. Ortega added the inning with her second RBI knock in as many trips as the Lions took advantage of five hits and two Ball State errors to build a commanding nine-run lead.
 
In all, the Lions got seven hits and drew five walks from Ball State pitching. Tieghan Morio was replaced in the fourth and took the loss, allowing five runs, two earned, on three hits and four free passes.
 
 
---
 
COLUMBIA SOFTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the Columbia softball program, follow @CULionsSoftball on Twitter and Instagram, on Facebook at Facebook.com/CULionsSoftball. You can view all the latest with the Lions on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com/Softball.