FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-14-06

College Softball: Columbus State 6-1, AASU 2-7

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Stasha Morton won her third game of the season here Tuesday, fanning five and allowing just two runs in a 6-2 win over Armstrong Atlantic State in the Peach Belt Conference opener for both squads. AASU used the long ball in the nightcap, swatting three big flies to down CSU 7-1 and earn a split.

AASU (1-3, 1-1) took the early lead in game one after Jessica Miranda led off with a double and came around to score on a single by Ashley Bain. The score remained 1-0 until the CSU third when the Lady Cougars erupted for four runs. Amber Lanier and Tamela Bell each had RBI singles in the frame and Danielle Aszman drew a bases-loaded walk to force home another. CSU took advantage of an error to plate a fourth run in the frame and take a 4-1 lead.

AASU added its second run in the sixth inning on a solo home run by Veronica Castro to left field. CSU added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame on a Lanier squeeze bunt and a Bell single.

Bell led the CSU offense by going 3-4 with two RBI, while Lanier added a pair of hits and RBI. CSU had eight total hits in the game with Heather Woods taking the loss for AASU.

The Lady Pirates were led by two hits from Bain in a six-hit outing.

In the nightcap, AASU again got out to an early lead. Miranda led off with a walk and later scored on a Jeana Short single to make it 1-0. Castro led off the second with her second home-run the day to make it 2-0. The Lady Pirates then put some distance between them and CSU, scoring three runs in the third on three hits to go up 5-0. The big blow was a three-run home run to center field by Amber Hunt.

After CSU got its lone run in the third on a pair of wild pitches to score Erin Brown, the Lady Pirates added some insurance, again via the long ball. Pitcher Rachel Koenig-Eng helped her own cause with a two-run shot to left-center to make it 7-1.

Koenig-Eng scattered six CSU hits and fanned two in picking up the win. Randi Rainwater suffered her second loss of the season, going two innings and allowing four earned runs.

Allison Paul was the only CSU player with two hits, while AASU was led by two each from Hunt, Short, and Koenig-Eng.

CSU is next in action this weekend at the West Georgia Invitational in Carrollton, while AASU is next in action on February 22 at GC & SU.

- Pirates -