SANTA CLARA – The Columbia softball team held on to defeat Portland State 8-6 to open the Golden Coast Classic. In the nightcap, host Santa Clara got the better of the Lions, defeating Columbia 9-3.
Juju O'Brien and
Cami Neal had a solid day at the plate overall. O'Brien went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Neal went 4-for-7 and clubbed a pair of doubles. Columbia (5-7) hit .344 as a team on Saturday, going 21-for-61.
"I'm super happy with the offense," Head coach
Jennifer Teague said. "I think our pitchers are continuing to work through some things, continuing get sharper. I think coming out here to the West Coast they aren't as sharp as I think they can be, and it showed a little bit. I thought we started the second game a little flat, energy wise. We were a little relieved after the Portland State game, after they attempted to come back. I think it took us a little bit to get started against the Broncos and that gave their pitcher time to get into a rhythm. There's some good lessons today, some things we did well, some things we need to improve. I am excited to play these two teams tomorrow. I think it will be a good challenge for us."
PORTLAND STATE RECAP
The Lions offense put on a power hitting display in the win over the Vikings in game one on Saturday. Columbia matched its season high with 11 hits – five of them for extra bases.
The offensive explosion started in the bottom of the first inning when the Lions scored three runs on three hits. The big hits came courtesy of an RBI single from Neal and a two-run double from
Caroline Palys. Palys drove in a season-high three runs in the win over the Vikings.
After surrendering two runs in the top of the third, Columbia struck back in the home half. Palys singled to center field to score
Sarah Mikami, who got the rally started with a double to left. After Palys stole second, Savannah Messner smashed a home run over the left field fence to make it 7-2. The home run by Messner was her second of the year and 12
th of her career.
Portland State (4-21) clawed back into the game in the top of the fifth. The Vikings opened the inning getting three-straight batters aboard. The last, a double from Lorraine Alo, plated a pair and ended the day for starter
Jordan Hill (2-2).
Hill had a solid outing, tossing 4.0+ strong, scattering seven hits, and four earned runs. She walked three and struck out two.
Caylene Nguyen and
Charlotte Laidler (1) pitched the final three innings in relief for the Lions. Nguyen tossed two strong and Laidler earned her first save of the year getting the Lions out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh thanks to a game-ending double play.
SANTA CLARA RECAP
Starter
Emmy Davis (1-2) took the loss in the night cap. Davis tossed 5.1 innings, and was roughed up for 12 hits, eight runs – only three earned- with a walk and a strikeout.
Offensively, the Lions had their opportunities to get back into the game but were just 4-for-17 with runners on base and 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Santa Clara (14-10) collected 14 hits on the day and was especially troublesome with two outs, going 6-for-11.
The hosts scored four runs in the first two innings and put the game away with two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Juju O'Brien led the way for the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Olivia Madkins and
Cami Neal also had multiple hits.
Maddie Souza provided a little thunder in the top of the seventh with a home run to left field. It was her second of the year and eighth of her career.
UP NEXT
Due to Friday's games getting canceled, the Lions have added a doubleheader on Sunday. Columbia will take on Portland State at 12:30 p.m. and will wrap up the tournament taking on Santa Clara at 3:00 p.m.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Softball by following the Lions on X (@CULionsSoftball), Instagram (@culionssoftball) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaSoftball).
