ORLANDO, Fla. – The Columbia softball team dropped a doubleheader to start the 2023 campaign Friday afternoon in Florida. The Lions lost a heartbreaker to Gardner-Webb before being shut out by Purdue in the second game.
GAME 1 VS. GARDNER-WEBB
The scoring started early as the Lions brought two runs home in the first inning. First-year
Sarah Mikami stepped up to the plate with two outs and lined a base hit to center field for her first career hit as a Lion. The sophomore left fielder
Cami Neal followed with an RBI double to put Columbia on the board first.
Senior
Bubba Gleaves continued the string of hitting with an RBI single that scored the second run of the inning to give the Lions an early cushion.
The Runnin' Bulldogs from Gardner-Webb answered back in the bottom of the second with two runs of their own to tie the game. The Lions would then put up one run in each of the next three innings to build a 5-2 advantage.
Mikami came to the plate with one out in the third and drew a walk. Neal then reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch before
Savanna Messner came in as a pinch runner for Neal. Gleaves capped off the sequence with a double to left center that scored Messner to reclaim the Columbia lead.
Junior catcher
Hunter Travers led off the top of the fourth with a walk. Junior pitcher Raquel Reyers then executed a sac bunt that advanced Travers to third. Sophomore
Maddie Souza brought Travers home for the fourth run of the game with a lineout to left.
The Lions extended the lead to three in the fifth inning as Mikami got things started with a walk. Neal doubled to right center to move Mikami to third, and Mikami scored on a sac fly to right field off the bat of Gleaves.
The three-run lead would last until the bottom of the seventh inning when Gardner-Webb posted four runs to secure a 7-6 win.
Reyes got the start on the mound and fired 6.1 innings, totaling three strikeouts. She allowed three earned runs on three hits and five walks. Mikami (0-1) was charged with the loss as she came in for 0.1 innings of work. She allowed four runs on two hits.
GAME 2 VS. PURDUE
The Lions totaled five hits, but could not plate any runs in the 8-0 loss to Purdue to wrap up the first day at the UCF Knight's Classic.
Jordan Hill (0-1) got the start and worked 5.0 innings, allowing eight runs – seven earned on 10 hits. She was charged with the loss.
Charlotte Laidler came in for 0.2 innings and had one strikeout.
Columbia came out swinging to start the game, but could not get anything going throughout the afternoon. Senior
Megan Ryono and junior
Jaden Hill had back-to-back base hits in the top of the first, but both were left stranded.
The Boilermakers capitalized with one run in the second, one run in the third, three runs in the fourth, and three runs in the sixth to cap off the 8-0 win in a shortened game.
UP NEXT
The Lions return to the field for an early start Saturday on the second day of the Knight's Classic. Columbia will play Gardner Webb again at 9 a.m. before meeting Louisville for an 11:30 a.m. first pitch.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Softball by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsSoftball), Instagram (@culionssoftball) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaSoftball).
