Softball Drops A Pair at Stetson Invitational

Saturday, February 21

DeLand, Fla.

Noon

Columbia

St. John's

St. John's (NY)

Columbia

2/21/2026 7:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Walks and the long ball plague the Lions

DeLAND, Fla. – The Columbia softball team fell to 0-4 in the tournament after dropping both halves of Saturday's doubleheader at the Stetson Invitational. The Lions opened the day suffering a 6-4 loss to St. John's before falling to host Stetson 4-2 in the evening game.

Columbia (0-6) finished the day with six runs on 14 hits. Eleni Katsivalis, Payton Shimansky, Kyra Mason and Tatum Hubble all collected multiple hits on the day. Shimanksy finished with four hits overall.

GAME ONE RECAP
Columbia wasted no time setting the tone in the bottom of the first. After singles from Eleni Katsivalis and Kyra Mason and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Tatum Hubble delivered an RBI single to open the scoring. Payton Shimansky followed with a run-scoring single, and Onna Swanigan added an RBI on a fielder's choice. Caylene Nguyen capped the surge with an RBI single to center, giving the Lions a 4-0 lead before Saint John's could record its third out. Columbia sent 10 batters to the plate and collected five hits in the frame.

Saint John's chipped away in the second, stringing together two walks and consecutive singles to score once and trim the deficit to 4-1.

The game turned in the fifth. After two quick outs, Saint John's took advantage of a bunt single and a throwing error that allowed a runner to reach third. A fielding error at third base brought home an unearned run, and a two-run single to shallow center plated two more — all unearned — to give Saint John's its first lead at 4-3.

Columbia threatened in the fifth when Mason walked, and Hubble reached on an infield single, but the Lions were unable to capitalize.

The Red Storm added insurance in the seventh, again using free passes and defensive miscues to generate offense. A walk with the bases loaded forced in a run before an infield single brought home another, extending the margin to 7-4.

Caylene Nguyen (0-1) took the loss. Nguyen had a strong effort coming out of the pen. She got the Lions out of a jam in the fifth and pitched a clean sixth before running into trouble in the seventh. Her final line: 2.1 innings pitched, three hits allowed, two earned runs, two walks and a strikeout.

Loreley Francia (6-1) got the win. She entered the game in the bottom of the first and pitched 6.2 shutout innings, allowing four hits, four walks, while striking out six.

GAME TWO RECAP
In the nightcap, the Lions once again struck first but could not overcome a pair of Stetson home runs in a 4-2 loss Saturday.

Columbia jumped in front in the opening inning. Eleni Katsivalis singled to center, and Kyra Mason followed with an infield hit before Sarah Mikami moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Payton Shimansky lined a single up the middle to drive in two runs, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead.

Stetson answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI walk to trim the margin to 2-1, then took control in the third. Logan Forman launched a two-run homer to deep center after a leadoff single, swinging the score to 3-2 in favor of the Hatters.

Columbia threatened in the fourth when Shimansky doubled to right-center and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Lions were unable to bring her home. Stetson added an insurance run in the fifth on a solo home run from Madison Quinn to extend the lead to 4-2.

The Lions were limited to four hits, two coming in the first-inning rally and a fourth-inning double by Shimansky. Mason added an infield single, while Katsivalis reached twice at the top of the order.

Columbia put the tying run on base in the seventh after Onna Swanigan was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position, but Stetson closed the door to secure the win.

Mads Lawson (0-4) worked all six innings for her third consecutive complete game. She struck out the side in the second and worked herself out of multiple jams to keep the Lions in striking distance.

The win went to Ava Braswell (6-1), who went the distance, scattering four hits, two runs, with three strikeouts. After getting into trouble in the first, she retired 12 of the final 13 batters she faced.

UP NEXT
Columbia returns to action for the finale of the Stetson Invitational when they take on St. John's. First pitch between the Lions and Red Storm is scheduled for 10 a.m.

FOLLOWING THE LIONS
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