The Cleveland State softball team split a doubleheader with Snead State on Monday afternoon at Lady Cougar Field. The Lady Cougars staged a dramatic comeback then won the first game in extra innings, 4-3. The Parsons rebounded to take game two in a big way, 12-6.
Game one was a pitchers’ duel until the sixth inning when the Parsons finally broke through. Ashley Robinson and Jennifer Gilliam each squeezed home a run with a bunt and Katie Howse singled in another one for a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Cougars got on the board in their half of the sixth when Casey Griffin and Sydney Howell each singled to start the rally. Maura Ditto doubled off the wall for two RBIs and Ashlen Mitchell singled in Ditto to tie the game at 3-3 forcing extra innings.
In the eighth inning, with the International Tiebreaker rule in effect, Howell started on second base and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Howell. Halen Weeks then promptly ended game one with a shot up the middle to push the winning run across the plate.
Meghan Smith went the distance to get the win for the Lady Cougars (3-3) while Taylor McCrary took the loss for Snead State.
Both teams broke out the big bats as game two turned into a slugfest. The Parsons put four runs on the board in their first two at bats.
Cleveland State came right back to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the second on a two-run single from Kenzie Fish and then a 2-run homer by Howell in the third.
After Snead State regained the lead with three more runs in the fourth, Cleveland State got two back on a sacrifice fly from Amber Covington and an RBI double by Griffin to cut the lead to 7-6.
The Parsons hit parade kept right on rolling as Hannah Harris hammered a 2-run homer in the fifth and the visitors tacked on three more to secure the win and a split of the twin bill.
Griffin led the Lady Cougars, going 2-for-4 in both games while Covington, Howell and Fish all chipped in with two hits each.
“The first game was a great game to be a part of,” stated Lady Cougars coach Katie Willingham. “The girls didn’t give up and kept fighting and Meghan Smith pitched a great game. I am proud of the way the girls hit and hit, and finally strung together some runs. The second game was a whole different team. We had too many errors and Snead really hit the ball well. We didn’t carry the momentum over into the second game.”
The Lady Cougars will host Roane State today at 1 p.m.
Saturday
BARNESVILLE, Ga. — The Cleveland State softball team traveled into the Highlands of Gordon College on Saturday afternoon and did not enjoy their trip at all. The Highlanders made quick work of their guests, taking both ends of a doubleheader, 11-0 and 2-0.
In game one, two Lady Cougar miscues in the field and three hits added up to a 5-0 lead for the home team in the bottom of the first. Olivia Wolfe and Meagan Stover provided the big hits for Gordon in the third as it doubled its lead to 10-0 with the Highlanders taking game one.
“In the first game we were not ready defensively or offensively for Gordon, which is a very competitive team,” said Lady Cougars’ coach Katie Willingham. “We just couldn’t get our bats going. We gave a good-hitting team more opportunities to score with the errors. Gordon has played some of the best teams in the nation and they were clearly the better team today.”
Game two was much closer, but once again the error bug bit the Lady Cougars. A miscue pushed the first run across for Gordon in the third. The only other run of the game crossed in the same manner in the fourth.
Gordon College pitching dominated both games as Stover tossed a three-hit shutout in game one and Whitney Parrish followed with a two-hit shutout in game two. Meghan Smith and Kenly Lambert pitched for the Lady Cougars (2-2).
