March 3, 2006
First-year Valerie Smith hit two home runs in her collegiate debut, but it was not enough as Gardner-Webb defeated Columbia 6-3 in the opening game of the Buzz Classic in Marietta, Ga.
The first inning proved decisive for Gardner-Webb, which scored three runs after making the first two outs of the game. After two Gardner-Webb batters reached without a hit, Christie Barlow belted a three-run homer to put the Bulldogs ahead 3-0.
After Gardner-Webb went ahead 4-0 in the top of the fourth, Columbia answered in the bottom of the inning on Smith's first collegiate home run.
With the score 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Kacy Krisman began the inning with a single to right field and Smith again connected, driving one over the left field fence to cut the Gardner-Webb lead to 5-3, but Columbia was unable to push any more runs across as Gardner-Webb collected the 6-3 victory.
In the second game of the day, Columbia jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings against N.C. State.
Kacy Krisman, an All-Ivy first-teamer in 2005, connected for her first home run of the season in the first inning, after Maiya Chard-Yaron walked to lead off the frame. In the second inning, Krisman again drove home a pair, blasting a triple to right center, bringing home Chard-Yaron and Keli Leong.
After N.C. State came back with a single run in the third and four in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead, the Lions regained the lead on Valerie Smith's third home run in two games.
After Leong singled and Kacy Krisman walked, Smith went deep to put Columbia ahead 7-5. However, N.C. State unleashed a seventh-inning, seven-run rally that put them in front, handing the Lions the hard-luck defeat.
Columbia returns to action at the Buzz Classic on Saturday, March 4. The Lions will take on Miami (Ohio) at 9 a.m. and will close out the day's action at 6 p.m. against Georgia Southern.
