FT. MEYERS, Fla. – The Columbia softball team could not hold on to a late 4-1 lead, falling to Lehigh 5-4 in eight innings in the finale of the FGCU Spring Break Classic on Sunday morning.
"Obviously we had a disappointing finish today," head coach
Jennifer Teague said. "I thought we had good momentum going into the seventh and we just let it slip away. I thought Jordan (Hill) did a fantastic job in the circle, good enough for us to win. Once we figure out how to move runners over better, our offense is going to be in good shape."
At the plate, Columbia (4-6) finished the day with four runs on eight hits.
Payton Shimansky led the way, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Cami Neal,
Juju O'Brien, and
Olivia Madkins all drove in a run as well.
Starter
Jordan Hill (1-2) was saddled with the loss after tossing seven strong in the losing effort. The Lion's starter scattered six hits and five runs – just two earned – in 7.0+ innings of work. Hill did now allow a hit through 2.1 innings.
Defense played a crucial role in Lehigh's (6-12) comeback. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, an error by Columbia allowed the Mountain Hawks to tie the game 4-4. In the bottom of the eighth, a throwing error allowed the game-winning to run to score.
The Lions scored the opening runs in the top of the second. Three straight walks loaded the bases with one out for O'Brien who worked a six-pitch walk to score
Caroline Palys. With one away, Madkins drove in the second run of the contest with a deep fly ball to left field that allowed
Sarah Mikami to score from third.
Lehigh cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth when a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to right by Maddy Schmeiser made it 2-1.
The Lions appeared to have put the game away in the top of the seventh when they scored two more runs thanks to back-to-back singles from Shimansky and Neal.
The single from Neal ended the day for Mountain Hawks' starter Chloe Hess who went 6.1, allowing eight hits and four runs. Madison Finnerty (4-4) got the win, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.
UP NEXT
Next week the Lions travel to the West Coast when they take on Weber State next Friday in the opener of the Saint Mary's Classic in Moraga, Calif.
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