The Lady Cougars fell victim to a red hot Columbia State softball team on Saturday afternoon in Columbia as the Lady Chargers completed a four-game weekend TCCAA Region VII Conference sweep of Cleveland State.
After capturing two dramatic come-from-behind wins on Friday, the Lady Chargers pitching staff took over on Saturday as they allowed their visitors only one run in each game, sweeping the doubleheader and the series with a 3-1 win in game one and a 5-1 decision in the game two.
The home team gathered all the runs that they would need in their first turn at the plate in game one.
Mandy Bunnell continued to carry the big stick as she doubled to start the rally and came around to score on a wild pitch. Ashlee Price followed with a two-run homer to give the Lady Chargers a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Cougars scored their lone run of game one in the top of the fourth as Perry Hindi singled and scored on a double from Hannah Powell to cut the lead to 3-1.
That would be the only run that Shelby Dawson would give up as she went the distance for Columbia State to get the win. Ida Watson didn't allow a run in six plus innings of relief after taking over for starter Alexa Perian.
Columbia State scratched out a run in the bottom of the third in game two as Bunnell went downtown for a solo homer. Hayley Smothers led off the fifth for the home team with a solo shot of her own while Bunnell dialed long distance for the second time in the game, this time a two-run dinger and Rebecca Curtis plated the final run of the frame with a single as the Lady Chargers cruised to the win.
The Lady Cougars avoided the shutout with a run in the seventh as Ashley Swaney doubled and scored on a single from Leslie Nunnelly.
Kelsey Haley suffered the loss for the Lady Cougars (4-16, 2-10) in relief of Watson who started while Hayley Broeker went the distance to get the for the Lady Chargers.
The Lady Cougars will travel to Motlow State next weekend for a four-game set.